I Am Become
by Kemnam
Summary: It's been three years. Zeref is gone, all of his books burned. Natsu is alive, and free to marry the girl of his dreams. But fate is cruel, and Natsu cannot escape what he really is, no matter how hard he tries. If he wants to save everybody from himself, he'll have to go back to the beginning. "Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds." Typical pairings. Implied alternate ending
1. Here There Be Monsters

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters.**_

* * *

He tried to think back to who it was that had talked him into this.

But it was all him. It had been his own fault. He had picked the job.

"Damn it."

"Still think this is a good idea?"

Natsu crouched at the edge of the dock, staring down into the green waters of the marina. The air was warm and humid, the sun bright and hot in the clear sky above. He could feel its heat on his bare back and shoulders and radiating from the old wood planks beneath his feet. The only relief was the light breeze that fluttered through his hair and the scarf tied around his waist, carrying the smell of the sea. His dark eyes followed the curling paths of the small minnows just below the surface of the water – anything to keep from looking at the boat anchored just in front of him, rocking lightly in the harbor.

"No."

"Well, Natsu, I hate to say it," Lucy smirked, tying a blue shawl around her waist on top of her shorts. "But I told you so."

"Really Natsu, what did you think was gonna happen?" Happy was also staring at the minnows. They were too small to be worth the trouble of trying to catch them, he decided.

"I don't know," Natsu sighed. "That maybe we would just fish from shore? Or something?"

"Oh right. Of course. We were gonna get our tackle and bait and just _fish_ for a fifty-ton monster right here in the shallows." Natsu could practically hear her rolling her eyes. But he knew she had a point. Sighing in resignation, the dragon slayer dropped his head between his knees.

"Is there really no other way?" The very thought of swaying and rocking of any kind was enough to make his stomach churn.

"The Leviathan's main food source can only be found in the open ocean. So, naturally, that's where we're going to find it – which means we'll have to leave land. And there's no way we're going to swim all the way out there."

A whimper crawled up Natsu's throat.

"This sucks." Collapsing his legs and falling back on his butt, Natsu hung his head in defeat.

Lucy put a soft hand on his back as she chuckled. "Nine times out of ten there will be a boat involved with jobs that take place in the water. You know that."

Happy smirked. "Yeah right. I bet he just wanted to fight the giant fish so bad he didn't even think about it."

Their only response was another groan. Moving her hand from his back to his head, Lucy tangled her fingers in his pink hair and scratched his scalp lightly.

"There's no shame in going home, you know," Lucy said reassuringly as she gave Happy a wink. The cat returned her with a sly grin. "I'm sure Fairy Tail can send someone else to finish the job… Maybe we should let Gray take this one."

She felt her companion stiffen beneath her hand. Without missing a beat, Natsu shot back up to his full height, turning on Lucy and gently taking her hand from his hair. The other arm captured her waist, drawing her in closer. Lucy smugly grinned at her successful attempt to get a rile out of him. Mentioning the Ice Mage usually had that effect. Natsu smirked back, thankful for the momentary distraction from what lied ahead.

"That," Natsu said lowly. "Is _not_ going to happen."

Lifting Lucy's hand up to his face, Natsu's eyes drifted down to her fingers. The quiet sparkle of the jewel on her ring reflected a small rainbow across the bridge of his nose. She leaned in closer to him, watching his face as he planted a soft kiss to her knuckles. Not a single day had gone by that she hadn't worn the band proudly – ever since that special night that she had promised to be his forever, and he hers.

"Excuse me, are you from Fairy Tail?"

All of them turned to see a man walking towards them, his heavy muck boots thudding on the wooden boards of the dock. It was easy to tell he was a sailor - his face was wrinkled by the sea, his graying hair touched by the sun, and his skin was wind worn. But he held a gentle spark in his eye and a determined gait in his step. Pulling away from Natsu, Lucy smiled at the man as she held out her hand, her guild mark clear for him to see.

"Yep! That's us!" After shaking his hand, Lucy procured a folded piece of paper from her shorts pocket and offered it to the man. "Are you the one who filed this request with the guild? It said to meet the client at this boat."

The man's eyes scanned the paper. Looking up at Lucy, he smiled once more and nodded.

"Yes ma'am, that would be me." The fisherman placed a hand on his chest and gave the mages a small bow. "I'm Captain Kobe. I've been commissioned by the mayor to ship you out to where the monster is known to be seen."

Lucy could almost hear Natsu's spirits drop.

"I'm Lucy, and this is Natsu," she said with a smile.

"I'm Happy. Nice to meet you, sir!" Happy grinned up at Kobe, bouncing lightly from foot to foot in excitement. "Are we gonna have a chance to do any actual fishing while we're out?"

Kobe laughed at the small animal, but his laugh sounded forced. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes this time.

"I'll see what we can do," the Captain said kindly. "There aren't as many fish as there used to be, not since that Leviathan came around and started eating them all. It's… been hard to do business here."

The small fishing village of Gladrindale made a quiet living off of what they could grow from the land and what they could catch from the sea. It was a peaceful, beautiful place set along the southern coast of Fiore, and usually entertained a slew of traders from Caelum, the island country to the south. That had all changed, however, when the beast had showed up out of nowhere about four months ago, then the fish became scarce and the sea too dangerous to traverse. The appearance of this Leviathan was not only strange, but greatly devastating to the economy of the tiny town. The reward for the job of getting rid of the creature was not very large – about 30,000J – but Lucy suspected that it was all that they had.

"Don't you worry." Natsu took a step forward, offering one of his signature smiles. "We'll take care of this stinking fish and everything will go back to how it should be. You have our promise."

"Then, in advance, you have my thanks," Kobe replied with another small bow. "And the thanks of everyone in Gladrindale."

"It's no problem." Lucy looked to Natsu, sharing his grin. "It's what we do."

"Then by all means, we'll cast off as soon as you're ready."

Kobe stepped up to his boat and took a large step onto the railing. Dropping down onto the deck of the small boat with practiced ease, he turned to Lucy and offered her a helping hand. Taking the old captain's hand, Lucy allowed herself to be safely guided onto the ship. As soon as she was steady on her feet, Kobe put a friendly hand on her shoulder.

"Welcome aboard the _Light Chaser_ , Miss Lucy!" Kobe chuckled. "Fastest ship in Southern Fiore!"

Lucy shared his laugh before turning back to the dock were Natsu still stood. He looked less than thrilled, brows drawn together as he regarded the boat with trepidation. Happy, taking the initiative, hopped aboard the ship and found a spot on one of the two fishing chairs that were bolted to the deck. Smiling gently up at her fiancé, Lucy reached out to him.

"Come on," she encouraged. "I'll be right here with you."

Natsu looked up into her warm brown eyes and felt the tension fade from his muscles. She was so beautiful, the bright light of the sun tinting her hair platinum. He smiled as he took her hand. "Yeah, okay. Let's do this!"

His bravado, though admirable, was instantly thrown out the window two minutes later when the _Light Chaser_ pulled out of the marina and made its way toward the open seas. Clinging to the rails of the boat desperately, Natsu trembled as he tried to keep his eyes open and pinned to the horizon, or some stable focal point within the rolling waves. Lucy sat next to him, rubbing comforting circles into his back.

"Is he going to be okay?" Kobe peeked out of the small cabin that housed the wheel, one eyebrow raised in concern. "I can slow down. Or let me know if I need to stop so he can…feed the fishes, if you know what I mean."

Happy giggled at the clever expression.

"I think that might make it worse." Lucy smiled apologetically. "But this is how he always is. Don't worry about him."

"Luuuuccyyyyy…" Natsu's weak cry barely escaped his lips. "'m dyyyyiinnnng…"

"I knew a guy that got seasick once," Kobe started. "Said his brain didn't like being sloshed around so much. I may not be the smartest man on the water, but I'm pretty sure that's not how sea sickness works."

Lucy sighed, stopping her ministrations. Looping one of Natsu's arms over her shoulders and lifting the man up from the bench, she dragged him over to the other fishing chair, where she flopped him down on it like a rag doll. Lucy scratched the back of her neck as she examined Natsu, disappointed that the "horizon technique" seemed to work less and less every time. Boats always seemed to bring out the worst of his selectively sensitive stomach. But it would be unwise to let Natsu spend the entire trip using up all of his energy just to keep his stomach. There was really only one thing that seemed to work without fail, and that was simply falling asleep. Leaning his head back, Natsu closed his eyes and tucked an arm behind his head. Lucy took his hand and pinched the flesh between his thumb and fingers, an old technique Erza had taught her to relieve pain. After a while, Natsu began to snore softly as he succumbed to uneasy rest.

Kobe watched them from over his shoulder as he manned the wheel. After the young man had gone limp in the fishing chair, Lucy sighed and returned to her spot on the bench. Happy glanced over at his friend from the other fishing chair, a small rod already cast held tightly in his paws. Sitting back, Lucy laid her arms over the rail and let the sun warm her skin. She had a scar on her left hip, Kobe noticed, shaped like an exploding star. Lucy chuckled softly and turned to smile up at the captain.

"This reminds me a lot of our third date," she said with a hint of nostalgia.

Kobe smiled back at the young woman, tied off the wheel and sails, and took a seat on the bench across from Lucy. For a while, they all sat in silence, and it seemed like just another normal day at sea. The sun was hot, but the breeze kept Lucy's skin cool. Happy hummed a small tune as he contently gave a tug on his fishing line every couple of minutes. Natsu, for better or worse, was no longer a pale shade of green. The rocking of the boat was similar to that of his hammock back home if he concentrated hard enough, and it soothed him.

"It's very nice here." Lucy spoke just loud enough to be heard over the wind in their ears. "Maybe when this is all over, we'll come back here as actual tourists. How does that sound, Happy?"

"Aye, sir!"

"I'm glad you like it." Captain Kobe smiled at her. "We may not have all the flare of Akane Resort or the granduer of Harjeon, but I've come to find that simple things can be beautiful as well."

"I wouldn't call Gladrindale simple, really." Lucy looked back where they had come, taking in the view of the small town nestled within the green hills. "There's something…enchanting, about it. Almost like it comes straight out of a story."

Kobe laughed, following her gaze. "That's one way of putting it, I suppose!"

"Trust me, I've been to Akane and Harjeon," Lucy stated. There was no love lost in her voice. "I would definitely choose here anyday."

"Well, that's mighty kind of you, Miss Lucy." Kobe raised a hand. "If you ever do come back, don't be afraid to contact me. I'll take you for a pleasure cruise along the coast!"

Lucy laughed, and she could hear Happy snort in his chair. "Sounds wonderful, but I think we might have to forgo that for some other time." She pointed her chin at Natsu. He looked like he was sliding out of the fishing chair, but was probably to nauseous to care.

Kobe smiled, fondly watching the couple. Memories of when he was young and in love resurfaced in his mind, of passionate nights and days full of adventure. Those days were long gone, but the old fisherman and his wife still acted like love struck teenagers every now and then.

"So, what made the mayor choose you for this job?" Lucy said, bringing Kobe out of his thoughts.

"I volunteered," he replied. "Besides, all the other fisherman are too scared to come out here anymore."

Lucy blinked at Kobe. He must have been very brave indeed if nobody else wanted to do this job. Kobe spoke again, his gray eyes cast to the sky.

"I've lived in Gladrindale all my life, born and raised. I met my wife here, and it's where our two kids were born. We might not have it all, but we have enough. My family is happy and healthy, my kids are educated, and I love what I do. You can't really ask for more than that." Kobe looked back to Lucy, a real, content smile on his face. He looked so much younger when he smiled, Lucy thought. "So when that monster showed up and everything started going to hell, I vowed to myself and my family that I would do whatever I could to make things right, to give them back the life they deserved."

Lucy nodded. She knew what it was like to fight for the things she loved. She may not have a family of flesh and blood anymore, but she did have a family of shared scars and laughter, of tears and victory. And she had Natsu. Three years ago, she had almost lost everything. She would do anything to keep that from ever happening again.

"So how long have you two been together?" Kobe asked. It was an innocent question, but a blush still rose to Lucy's cheeks.

"Technically, we've been dating for three years," Lucy replied, but then held up her hand, allowing her ring to twinkle in the sun. "But we got engaged a little over six months ago!"

Kobe's eyes widened, impressed by the diamond. "Congratulations to you two. I wish you both the best of luck and happiness in your future."

"Thank you!" Lucy turned her hand so she could look at her ring. To be honest, she had almost fainted when Natsu had presented the ring to her. The diamond wasn't big enough to be gaudy, but was nothing to scoff at either. Natsu had said that he had chewed the diamond out of charcoal himself.

"I proposed to my wife when we were both eighteen years old." The old captain sighed at the fond memory. "She turned me down the first time, said we were too young. Had to figure who we were first before we could be together. And that's exactly what we did. We traveled the world and found ourselves along the way. Then we came home, and she finally agreed to marry me. Of all the wonders I've seen, she is still the most wondrous to me."

Tears pricked at Lucy's eyes, her heart ached slightly. "That's what I want. To grow old with Natsu and never lose the wonder."

"When you've been through so much with one person, experienced life's ups and downs together," Kobe started, sitting forward toward Lucy. "Time becomes a distant concept, a thing that happens to everybody else. There are some days that I believe my wife looked the way she does now thirty years ago. Then I remember that while we were growing up, we were also growing older. So don't you worry too much, okay Miss Lucy?"

Lucy nodded. His words could not have been more true.

"Natsu says I still look exactly as I did when we first met," Lucy laughed. "I was seventeen back then. Boy, how time flies, right?"

"Yes indeed, Miss Lucy." Kobe's face turned wistful, remembering pleasant things. "Ah, young love."

Lucy smiled. "No." The sea captain quirked an eyebrow. "We may be young, but our love isn't. We were just... a little slow to admit it."

"At least it didn't take him as long to ask for your hand." Kobe pointed at her ring. "And with a very lovely diamond, I must say."

Their conversation abruptly ended as Natsu suddenly jerked and kicked out in his chair, a pained moan reaching Lucy's ears. Happy jumped at the unexpected movement, his fishing pole almost flying from his grip. Natsu's eyes were wide and his fists jerked out wildly, the beginnings of flame licking his knuckles. Lucy shot to her feet, rushing over to her fiancé, her face betraying her surprise. Grabbing his wrists before he could hurt someone or himself, Lucy spoke softly to him, trying to coax him from sleep as gently as she could. His eyes were half-lidded, still rolled back in his head and lost within his dream.

"Zer…" Natsu's voice was strained. "I will… no!"

"Natsu!" Lucy called in a calm but loud voice. "You need to wake up now. It's just a dream."

Natsu's flailing stopped. Lucy watched as his eyes opened blearily, his face tinting back to a sickly green. But he was awake, and managed to lift his head up and lock eyes with Lucy. When he saw her worried face, felt her tight grip on his wrists, it wasn't hard to piece two and two together. Slumping back in his chair, he twisted one hand to gently grab her wrist as well.

"Sorry, Luce." He sighed shakily. "That was… weird. Haven't had one of those dreams in a long time."

Lucy let go of one of his wrists and reached up to brush the hair off of his forehead. "Zeref's gone, Natsu. His demons all died with him."

He smiled weakly. "I know, I know. Hard to believe that was three years ago, huh?"

Lucy didn't share his smile. "I thought those dreams stopped a long time ago…"

Natsu groaned as the boat rocked. "They did."

"Do we need to go see Porlyusica when we get back?"

Natsu looked up into her eyes once more, seeing the concern in their brown depths. He reached an arm out to curl around her waist, bringing her in closer.

"I'm fine, Lucy." He pressed his forehead to her shoulder. "It was just one dream."

He could tell his words did little to dissuade her worry - but presently, Natsu was too preoccupied with trying not to barf all over his fiance. Leaping out of the chair, Natsu made for the edge of the ship, just barely making it in time to lose his stomach into the blue water. Lucy and Happy watched him for a moment, then looked to each other. Neither of them sat too well with Natsu's dreams concerning a particular black wizard coming back. It may have been a few years ago, but both of them still remembered the war like it was yesterday - still remembered just how close they had been to losing everything. How close Natsu had been to losing his life and his humanity. They were not pleasant memories.

But, in true Natsu fashion, he had managed to persevere. Not till after the damage had been done, however. Afterwards, the recovery had been slow and painful for everybody. As with all things, scars eventually healed and everything went back to normal. During that time, both Natsu and Lucy thought long and hard about their feelings and dreams, and had confessed their love for each other. The biggest, longest on-going bet in Fairy Tail was collected that day.

Happy perked his ear at the sound of the reel on his pole buzzing loudly as the line was pulled out. He shook himself out of his thoughts and hopped to his feet, gripping the fishing pole tightly and pulling back on it. Smiling widely, the fur on Happy's tail puffed in excitement. Lucy looked over at the Exceed, seeing him struggling against whatever was on the other end of his line. She welcomed the distraction from her worries.

"Looks like you caught a big one, Happy!"

"Aye…sir!" Happy grunted through gritted teeth as he gave a hefty pull on the pole.

Happy yelped as he was jerked out of his chair, hitting the deck hard. His rod and reel flew off, disappearing into the deep blue water. Lucy and Happy looked out across the sea, a hot stone of unease settling in their stomachs. For a few heartbeats, all was quiet save for the lapping of the water against the boat and Natsu's whimpering. Lucy released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. The years had made her paranoid, it seemed.

A paranoia that proved to be well founded when a large brown fin, taller than the masts of the _Light Chaser_ , broke the surface of the water and jetted toward them at alarming speed. Happy screamed as he jumped into Lucy's arms. The woman could only stare in horror. If its fin was this big, just how large was the rest of the creature?!

Captain Kobe was quick to react, dashing into the small cabin and untying the wheel. With a hard crank of his powerful hands, the boat jerked hard to port. The fishing boat, though small, really was fast, and managed to veer out of the way of the colossal fin just in the knick of time. Natsu received a face full of water as it went by, knocking him back with a splash. The boat rocked violently in the wake of the fin. Lucy watched in horror as the creature descended back below the surface of the water.

"Was that it?" Lucy shouted to the captain.

"Yes, Miss Lucy!" Kobe was frantically spinning the wheel, trying to avoid going in one direction for too long. "That was the Leviathan!"

Lucy cursed under her breath. Her ring of keys was in her hand within a second. Not for the first time, Lucy desperately wished she had Aquarius' key again. But she had other spirits, and her fingers had already closed around the one she wanted without having to look. But she didn't summon them yet. Everybody on board the ship watched and listened, even Natsu had his ears perked from his spot on the deck. Everything seemed quiet, though - like it was just another normal day on the ocean.

With a large explosion of water, the Leviathan finally reared its head and roared. Similar to an eel, it had a long snake-like body with a conic-shaped head. Its skin was brown and slimy, with a smattering of white flecks along its belly. Its teeth were too big for its mouth, dwarfing the glassy dark eyes on each side of his head. The Leviathan opened its maw and loosed a wavering, high-pitched roar that rattled the bones in Lucy's ears. It towered over the boat, blocking out the sun. A large shadow fell over the _Light Chaser_ , the mages on board starring up at the beast in shock.

"So, you finally decided to show yourself," Natsu said with a smirk. He grabbed the rails and began hoisting himself up. "Not as big as I thought you'd be, but I can make do."

Natsu stood tall, his fists raised at his sides. He grinned widely up at the monster as his body naturally dropped low into a fighting stance. Lucy and Happy watched from the side. The white scarf around his waist swayed in the sea breeze.

"Let's go, Happy!" Natsu shouted, taking a confident step forward. "I've got a real fire burning in my-!"

A powerful pulse shocked Natsu's body, cutting off his words and leaving his muscles aching, his guts churning and a tight pain somewhere behind his heart. Natsu gasped in surprise, one hand gripping at his chest as he fell to his knees. A moment later, Lucy appeared at his side, but her words were muffled by the blood pounding through Natsu's head. He growled as another pulse of unbearable pain exploded from his heart and crashed through his limbs. It was as if two shards of glass were grinding against each other, cracking and fracturing and ripping him apart. Natsu tried to concentrate, grasping Lucy's hand in terror.

He knew this pain. Though he had only felt it once before a long time ago, Natsu would never forget what it felt like to have his soul torn to pieces by a curse he didn't even know he had.

"Captain Kobe, get us out of here!" Lucy shouted over Natsu's shoulder.

The boat careened steeply before evening out on a course back towards land. The Leviathan gave chase, just as Lucy had feared. Natsu trembled beneath her hands. What had happened? And why did he look so scared?

A thunderous roar filled the air. Lucy looked up, her eyes widening as a she watched the Leviathan breach the surface of the water, lunging towards the boat and crashing back down to the sea. A harrowing wave, taller than the _Light Chaser_ and gaining more height and speed with every moment, careened toward the ship. Before a scream could rise in her throat, Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu and Happy, hooked her legs around the secured post of the fishing chair. The wave hit hard, nearly jerking Lucy free from her hold on the chair and her companions from her arms. Saltwater filled her nose and stung her eyes. A small eternity passed, then the water finally receded. Lucy gasped for air, her strained lungs sore and screaming. Happy and Natsu gagged on saltwater, horrible coughs racking their bodies. Miraculously, the _Light Chaser_ did not capsize or overflow, but it had stopped moving, stagnant in the frantic currents of the water. Kobe had been ripped away from his steering wheel, coughing up water on the floor of his cabin.

The Leviathan breached the water once more, roaring loudly at the occupants of the boat. Natsu growled again, wincing violently under Lucy.

Natsu peeked up at the beast through the fiery pain that thrummed through his veins. There was no mistaking it, he thought. This feeling, this pain, it was all a reaction he was having to the Leviathan. He didn't know how, and he didn't know why. But if this pain really was his etherious rearing its ugly head once more, then that could only mean one thing.

"Lucy…" Natsu spat out between gritted teeth. "That thing…it's not a normal monster."

Lucy and Happy peered down at Natsu, their eyes practically glowing with fear. "What do you mean?"

"That thing, the Leviathan," Natsu growled. "It's a demon from the Book of Zeref."

* * *

A/N: Helloooo! I decided to jump aboard the Fairy Tail train before it ended, so this is my first story in this fandom! Obviously it takes place after the manga is supposed to end. There will be other typical pairings, but that's not the center of my story.

The title is inspired by the utterances of J Oppenheimer, the American scientist who worked on nuclear bombs: **_Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds._**

(also, if anybody knows the artist of the cover image, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due. I just found it in a google search.)

EDIT: This chapter has been updated for content March, 2019

As always, read, review and enjoy!


	2. We All Fall Down

The Leviathan tossed its head and spread its maw wide, letting loose another roar into the cloudless sky. At the same time, Natsu gave a strained growl through gritted teeth, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. The Leviathan's small, beady eyes glinted dully, its growls sending ripples across the surface of the water. Lucy gazed up at the monster with terror, Natsu's words shaking her to her core as they echoed over themselves in her head.

"How…how do you know?" Her words were so soft, it was a miracle Natsu had heard her. She couldn't believe it… more accurately, she didn't _want_ to believe it. If this thing really was an etherious, then that would mean that Natsu was… "Are you absolutely sure?"

"I don't know how, I just _know_." Natsu opened one eye, glaring at the creature. "It's the same feeling from back then. There's no other explanation."

"But that's impossible!" Happy cried. "All the demons were destroyed when you defeated Zeref!"

Natsu grunted as he staggered to his feet. "Apparently this guy didn't get the memo."

Captain Kobe, having recovered from his coughing fit, pulled himself up along the doorframe of the cabin. Apart from being soaked and a little bit of water in his brain, he was fine. The old fisherman had sailed through worse storms in his days, and had seen his fair share of abnormalities as well. This Leviathan certainly hadn't been the scariest thing he had seen – his beloved wife after a night without sleep took that prize hands down – but a thick, almost palpable feeling of doom permeated the atmosphere, and it froze the sea man to the deck of his ship, feeling nothing but fear and hopelessness as he looked up at the massive monster.

The Leviathan reared back, preparing to strike. Its long gray teeth spread wide, and it seemed as if the monster meant to swallow the entire ship whole as it threw itself at the small craft. Kobe was finally shocked out of his stupor, only to squeeze his eyes shut, throw his arms up, and scream.

"Open! Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

Everything in sight was overcome with a blinding gold light. A tremendous crash rattled the boat as the Leviathan's teeth clamped onto the bubble of light surrounding the ship, pushing it through the water but leaving it unscratched. The Leviathan pulled back once again, screeching with frustration. The shield surrounding the boat dropped, revealing Loke standing firm on the deck in front of Lucy and Natsu, his arms raised and fingers splayed wide. He lowered his arms and glared at the monster over the tops of his dark glasses.

"Are you guys alright?" Loke didn't turn to look at them. "I felt a strange power just now."

"We're okay," Lucy said, though she didn't sound okay. "But we need to get out of here."

"No."

Lucy snapped her head around to stare at Natsu, who kept his own eyes trained on the creature. He didn't seem to be in much pain anymore, but Lucy wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing. His eyes were dark, almost manic with both fear and rage, yet when he spoke, his voice was calm and controlled.

"We've got to take this thing down and figure out what's going on." Natsu was seething with anger. "I want to know why one of Zeref's demons is still alive and kicking after all these years."

Lucy's brows drew together in concern. "Natsu…"

Loke finally looked over in surprise. "That thing is an etherious?"

The Leviathan was circling the boat, jostling it with the waves of its wake. The beast snapped its jaws threateningly at them, cautious in the face of this new magic. The boat began to flat spin slowly, making Natsu curse as dizziness was piled on top of his motion sickness and pain.

"That would explain the power I felt," Loke commented. "But I thought all of Zeref's books were burned?"

Lucy wedged herself underneath Natsu to keep him on his feet. Happy curled himself around Natsu's leg on the other side to the same affect. Kobe, still on his knees on the floor, gripped the side of his cabin tightly. The boat was starting to spin faster, the circling current of water the Leviathan created well on its way to becoming a full blown maelstrom.

"Doesn't matter what we thought, that thing is definitely not burned!" Lucy shouted at the spirit, tired of wasting time. "And we're going die unless you do something!"

Loke turned back to the Leviathan, sneering at the creature. He wasn't exactly fit for aquatic warfare – that was more Aquarius' forte. But seeing as her new key was yet to be found, and his own magic being flexible and powerful, there was really no one else Lucy could have called for. Leaping from the deck of the boat, the leader of the Zodiac plunged into the water, a ball of light already forming at his fingertips. The Regulus Bomb sent an implosion of water skyward as it collided with the body of the serpent. Its circling interrupted, the whirlpool dissipated within a matter of seconds. But it did very little to actually harm the Leviathan. The beast roared just before it plunged beneath the surface of the ocean once again, back to its domain where it had a clear upperhand on the Zodiac Spirit. From there, the view of the battle was hidden from Lucy, Natsu, and Happy.

"He's going to need help." Lucy grasped another key, holding it skyward. "Open! Gate of the Sea Goat! Capricorn!"

With another burst of stars and light, the tall spirit stepped up to Lucy with a short bow. Before he could speak his usual formalities, Lucy thrust an arm out, hand pointed to the cascade of bubbles coming up from the depths of the water.

"I need you to help Leo distract the Leviathan long enough so we can get out of here!" She spoke quickly and urgently. "But be careful!"

"They don't call me the Sea Goat for nothing, Lady Lucy," was all Capricorn said before he too, jumped into the rolling waves. Lucy would have summoned more spirits to help even the odds, but experience and necessity had taught her that it was better to have fewer spirits fighting with all their strength rather than many spirits fighting with half their strength.

"Lucy, no!" Natsu growled. "I told you, we need to beat that thing!"

Lucy ignored him, looking over her shoulder back at the Captain. "Kobe! Get us to land!"

The man stared at her for a second with blank eyes. But then he shook himself, set his resolve, and climbed to his feet. Grabbing the wheel once again, Kobe groaned as he strained to hold it in one place in order to stop their spinning. When the _Light Chaser_ was once again still on the water, Kobe cranked the wheel hard, turning the boat on a straight course for the closest shoreline. As they left the Leviathan and Lucy's spirits in their wake, Natsu struggled against Lucy and Happy weakly.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Natsu spat angrily. "Turn around!"

Lucy suddenly slammed her hands against his chest, making him lose his footing and stumble back till the backs of his knees hit one of the benches on the ship, causing him to land heavily on his butt. Just as Natsu was about to shoot back to his feet and demand an explanation, Lucy stepped up against him, pinning his knees and grabbing his shoulders.

"I'm not letting you anywhere near that thing!" She screamed, her voice cracking. It was then that Natsu saw tears in her eyes. "I won't lose you again! Do you hear me, Natsu Dragneel?!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy said from where he clung to Natsu's left arm, trying desperately in all his twelve-pound might to weigh down and immobilize the mage. He also was sniffling and tearing up, eyes lost within dark memories.

Natsu stilled, surprised by his companion's worry over him. As strong as Leo and Capricorn were, they had to know that those spirits weren't going to be enough to stop the Leviathan. But unlike Natsu, who had been unafraid to sacrifice his body – or _more_ – without a second thought so that they could get out of this, Lucy and Happy had looked farther ahead into the future, and what consequences there would be. To be honest, Natsu hadn't even thought about the risks of going up against one of the etherious… especially when his own etherious magic was resurfacing behind his heart, a magic that Natsu had long thought disappeared. Even now, it sat coiled and twisting, just waiting for the moment to seize control. That was the last thing that any of them wanted.

Sighing, Natsu lifted his free hand and cradled the right side of Lucy's jaw, catching one of her tears with his thumb. He stared at the scar on her hip with half-lidded eyes, eyebrows curving up in sadness. He didn't say anything, but Lucy knew what he was thinking about. When he finally looked up so they were gazing into each other's eyes, Natsu gave her a small smile.

"Okay," he said with a nod. "I'll stay right here."

The look of relief that washed over Lucy's features was strong, and she leaned back, giving him room to move. Natsu groaned as he sat up, his stomach still roiling with motion sickness. But he did have to admit, the farther away they got from the Leviathan, the more his etherious weakened back to the almost-non-existent state it had been in before and the pain in his limbs ebbed away. Maybe it had only been residual magic he had been feeling, and not actually E.N.D. baring his teeth once more. At least, Natsu hoped so.

The _Light Chaser_ had just entered lighter, shallower water when Lucy winced where she sat next to Natsu. She was panting and sweating a little, the stream of magic she had been feeding her spirits taking its toll. Natsu knew what that usually meant, but she still clarified from the look he gave her.

"Loke and Capricorn are back in the Celestial Plane." She looked out over the waves. "I hope they bought us enough time."

Natsu followed her gaze to the ocean, a line of worry between his eyebrows. The dark magic behind his heart was still fading, the glass shards fitting together now instead of grinding against each other. If that was any indicator of how close the Leviathan was, then Natsu would have thought that they were in the clear. The boat slowed as the sluggish currents of the shallows and the coastal breeze shifted as they neared land. The pulsing in Natsu's breast was abating with each beat of his heart. He sighed, breathing a little easier as the etherious energy in his body receded down, down, down…

"Gah!" Natsu crumpled forward as his body seized, not expecting the sudden spike of pain. "Damn it! It's coming!"

Not even a split second later, the Leviathan broke the surface of the ocean in a twisting, writhing show of rage a hundred meters off. It was heading towards the boat at a blinding speed, the small but numerous cuts around its mouth and eyes oozing with glowing liquid ethernano. It crashed over the waves, and didn't seem like it was thinking about slowing down. The monster was going to ram them, and the small wooden boat didn't stand a chance. Shooting to his feet, Natsu darted for the cabin of the ship on unsteady feet.

"Happy, get Lucy!" He shouted over his shoulder.

Lucy was too late to react as the blue exceed gripped her by the shoulders and carried her high into the air. She shouted after Natsu as he disappeared inside the Captain's cabin. It only took a few more heartbeats for the Leviathan to plow onto the sandy shoal and into the _Light Chaser_. The boat disappeared in a flurry of water and wet brown skin and teeth. Lucy could hear the wood splintering from where she and Happy hovered in the air. The momentum of the Leviathan was quickly stopped as it ran against the shallow floor. The beast ground to a halt in a slimy heap, beaching itself with all of its demonic glory exposed for all to see. Its gills puffed in and out, trying to circulate air and failing. But although it had given up the advantage of deep water, its sheer size and power still presented a danger as the beast thrashed. The boat had been blown to smithereens, leaving no trace or any hint of the fate of the occupants left behind.

"Natsu!" Lucy wailed, tears brimming in her wide eyes. She clapped her hands over her mouth, feeling her engagement ring rub against her lip. He couldn't be gone, Lucy thought. There was no way. This couldn't be happening…

"Lucy, look!" Happy's eyes were locked onto a point on the water, off to the side but still dangerously close to the splashing creature. What Lucy saw made her so happy she wanted to cry more.

Natsu grimaced as he tread water, his face bobbing just above the surface. He could touch the bottom, but the water was still too deep to stand. There were small cuts on his forehead and jaw, but he seemed okay. Kobe was next to him, spluttering as he also tread water, also bleeding from a scratch across his ear. The poor Captain hadn't been expecting to be picked up bridal style and carried overboard moments before his precious boat had been destroyed. Nevertheless, he was thankful to the mage for saving his life. Both Natsu and Kobe quickly waded toward shallower depths. There the two men fell into the knee-deep water – Natsu to his hands and knees, Kobe on his rump.

Panting and trembling, Natsu coughed as he heard Lucy and Happy shout his name from the sky. Although his motion sickness was no more – and he was very grateful for that – the dark energy within him was so potent that Natsu couldn't even differentiate between it and his own magic. The amount of strain he was putting in to keeping it under control only made the pain more difficult to bear. It was hard to stop something from happening when he didn't even know how it was happening. Gritting his teeth, he looked up and across the water to where the Leviathan flopped and jerked, moving slowly but surely toward the mage and the captain across the sandy bottom of the ocean, its weak fins dragging its massive body forward one foot at a time. It snarled at Natsu, beady eyes flashing manically as it heaved itself closer and flung ethernano-blood from its many cuts.

A loud splash drew Natsu's attention briefly away from the monster. Lucy and Happy had landed a little way away from him. His fiancé waded toward him as fast as she could. The ripping in Natsu's heart made him choke, reminding him that the Leviathan wasn't the only danger in the water.

"Stop!" Natsu rasped as he threw up a hand. "Don't come any closer!"

Thankfully, both Happy and Lucy listened, halting just several feet away. Natsu grunted as he pushed himself to his feet and faced the Leviathan once more. Sweat and salt water dripped down his face, stinging his eyes and the cuts on his face. If this kept up any longer, he was going to be torn apart from the inside out. The Leviathan was surging closer, now only a few yards away. Kobe had backwards crawled through the water until he bumped into Lucy's knees. The poor fisherman was scared out of his wits. Lucy and Happy stood their ground, but Natsu could see that they also wanted to run.

There was no time to think. With his own magic contaminated, mixing with the etherious coursing through his veins, Natsu fully realized the danger he was putting himself in if he fought. But there was no other choice, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was barely hanging on by his fingertips as it was. Even now, he could feel the etherious seeping into his consciousness, the rage and mindless drive to destroy smashing against his will. It was weak, though – only a fraction of the power he had dealt with three years ago. However, it was still more than enough to take down the monster. If he was going to fall, then he was going to take the Leviathan with him.

Natsu cursed, untying the white scarf from around his waist and balling it up. Turning to Lucy, he tossed it to her. She snatched it out of the air, giving him a confused look.

"Hold onto that for me." He was smiling, but his voice told Lucy that something was very wrong. "I'll be right back. I swear."

With that, Natsu turned and waded toward the snapping maw of the Leviathan. The beast roared, waves of water splashing loudly as it tossed its head. Lucy stared after him, unaware of what he was doing, but not liking where things were going one bit.

Natsu's head snapped sharply to the left as he summoned his magic, the wild etherious rising with it, making him growl. He started running, picking up speed quickly even in the knee deep water. The Leviathan screeched and thrashed in anticipation, its large teeth shining. It was only when the first flames flared up from Natsu's fingertips, up his arms and across his shoulders – flames that were tinged with _black_ – that Lucy realized what he was about to do. Terror struck her like a lightning bolt.

"Natsu, don't!" Her legs started moving. "Na-!"

She was jerked to a stop by a firm grip on her arm. She whirled to see Captain Kobe holding fast, Happy captured in his other arm. The small cat clawed and kicked at his flesh, but he held tight.

"I can't let you go, Miss Lucy," he said, voice soft and sincere. "You won't make it."

"You don't understand!" Lucy yanked against his grip. "I have to stop him, or else he'll-!"

The Leviathan roared. Lucy turned. Her breathing stopped along with her heart.

Natsu's entire body was encased in black-laced flames. The skin of his hands, forearms, feet and calves were charred black. An unmistakable and powerful feeling of evil permeated the air. Lucy's stomach dropped as her last threads of hope were cut. She had thought she would never see her best friend… the love of her life like this again.

The ocean water boiled around him as Natsu sprinted headlong through the sea, toward the twisting Leviathan. The monster raised up to meet him, its mouth spread wide with an ear-splitting roar cracking like thunder. Natsu jumped, one fist balled and swelling with demonic flames as he soared toward the monster's head. His mouth opened, releasing his own chilling, beastly roar. Just before the teeth of the Leviathan could snap shut around him, Natsu thrust his fist forward, blasting an inferno down the creature's throat. The Leviathan's body jerked as its insides were lit up. Its brown, slimy skin split apart in some places along its hide, the new openings spewing fire and black smoke. Lucy could feel the heat of the flames from where she stood several yards away. She wanted to look away, but the carnage was too captivating.

The black flames burned everything they touched, rendering all to ashes. The firestorm Natsu had created broke the Leviathan apart within a column of fire reaching the sky. The dark flames were so bright, they dimmed the sun. Even the water burned, quickly filling the air with thick, salty steam. Lucy brought up an arm to cover her face. For a few painstaking seconds, the only things she heard were the death cries of the Leviathan, the sizzling of flesh and water, and the roar of the demonic flames. A terrible symphony of pain and despair.

But then everything went quiet as the grave.

Lucy lowered her arm and cast her eyes around the steamy sea, trying to listen above the sound of her frantic heart and breathing. Fear for what she might find almost kept her from stepping forward, out of Kobe's relaxed grip on her arm. But she had to know if Natsu was okay. She had to find him.

Lucy didn't know when she started running, her feet splashing loudly through the water. She was vaguely aware of Happy flying beside her, just barely skimming over the surface of the water. The farther she waded in the direction that Natsu had been, the closer she came to the verge of tears.

"Natsu!" Her call conveyed just how desperate she was. She didn't care. "Natsu!"

There was a splash – not a big one, like someone dropping a large stone into the water. Lucy and Happy stopped and spun toward the sound, peering through the steam to the familiar outline taking shape. Lucy gasped and clutched the scarf tighter, almost not believing her eyes.

"Lucy…"

Natsu stumbled out of the steam. There were no more flames, dark or light, and the man's overall physique seemed unharmed. His head was hung from exhaustion and he moved slowly. Lucy and Happy watched him with wide smiles on their faces, extremely relieved to see him again. But something still felt…wrong, and it was this feeling that kept them from rushing to his side. It was only when Natsu was closer that they saw that the black charring on his hands and feet was still there, and their smiles quickly disappeared. Veins bulged under his skin, his breathing was ragged. The blood oozing out of the cuts on his forehead and jaw glowed ever so slightly with ethernano. When Natsu raised his head to look at Lucy and Happy, his irises were small black dots peering out at them from his shadowed face, dangerously manic and wild.

Lucy took an unconscious step back, tears of grief finally falling. "No…"

Natsu's black clawed fingers twitched, his teeth grinding hard as he fought to regain control. He was losing.

"Lucy… Happy…" His voice was tight and raspy when he spoke.

Happy was behind Lucy, his trembling paws touching her softly in preparation to take off once again. It wouldn't matter how far he flew. E.N.D. would find them. Natsu grunted as a muscle spasmed in his neck and snapped his head to the left. His eyes rose back up to the girl and cat, both shaking with fear.

"Run."

* * *

A/N: I don't think I've ever had a first chapter get so many favorites and followers. Thank you so much!

One of these days I'll figure out how to write shorter chapters. But till then, this is about as long as they'll be. I'll try to get a new one out by Friday's, how does that sound?

Reviews are greatly appreciated, even if it's just to point out stuff I might have forgotten or inconsistencies. Don't be afraid to critic me or ask questions~!

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	3. Home Again, Home Again

His breathing was coming so fast and hard, a small whine was forced out with each puff. It was taking almost all of Natsu's concentration to stay rooted to the spot, to keep himself from becoming the burning, howling rage demon that he feared. The black char on his hands cracked apart when his fingers twitched, the jagged gaps glowing orange from the fire raging beneath his skin. Small tongues of black flame rose up from his skin before flickering out into dark smoke, shrouding his form in ethereal darkness. The evil in his mind was mirrored by his appearance, it seemed.

Lucy gulped, unsure of what to do. Happy's paws still rested against her back, and she could feel him trembling. Or maybe it was her that was trembling. Either way, it was killing them both to see Natsu in such a state. They could see his muscles seizing violently on his bare torso, arms, and legs. Mavis help her, he looked like he was in so much pain. It was breaking her heart.

"I told you… to run!" A small roar was threaded within Natsu's voice. His clawed hands shot up to grab fistfuls of his pink hair as he keeled over, screaming through his teeth with his eyes shut tight.

Lucy and Happy could feel the heat radiating off of him through the air and the water, but there were goosebumps dotting her skin. It felt like she couldn't breathe, her throat sore and tight with sorrow. She couldn't leave him, Lucy realized, not like this. Not when he needed her most. Lucy took one step forward, and then another, moving out from under Happy's paws and slowly wading through the steamy atmosphere. The small cat started at her actions and gently but urgently called her name. Lucy approached Natsu slowly, pausing every time he tossed himself from one side to the other. With each step that drew her nearer, the scar on her hip began to tingle, as if remembering.

White scarf grasped in one hand, Lucy stopped just inside of Natsu's arm reach and extend the other shaking hand. Her fingers had just barely parted his hair, small pinpricks of heat biting her skin, when Natsu shot up to his full height. A growl rumbled from low in his chest, his lips curled back over his teeth in a feral frown. But he didn't attack, didn't move, and didn't hurt her. He simply glared down at her with eyes that were not his own. If Natsu wasn't already lost, he would be soon.

"Zeref." His voice was low.

Lucy, encompassed in a heat that was just a touch above uncomfortable, held still as well, gazing back at him. Happy watched from where he hovered above the ocean water, not sure what else he could do _but_ watch. This was something only Lucy could do, he knew that. Happy and Natsu loved each other, there was no doubt. But Lucy was on a whole different level with him, and their love could be classified as a magic in its own. However, Happy couldn't help but think that if something were to happen to Lucy in this moment, Natsu would never forgive himself.

Hesitant at first, Lucy reached up with her free hand. "Natsu." He growled louder at the word. "It's okay. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Her fingers touched the line of his jaw.

In a flash of dark fire, Natsu's hands combusted into flames and swung up at Lucy's head from both sides. Happy cried out, reaching out both paws, but stopped and stared in amazement. Fingers spread out and curved like deadly hooks, the etherious fire engulfing his hands flared brightly as they hovered next to Lucy's ears, singeing any stray hairs. Natsu had managed to stop himself from killing her, if only just so. His trembling had stepped up to full-blown shaking, small choking sounds replacing growls as Natsu fought with every fiber of his being to overcome himself once again.

Lucy, seemingly unfazed by the near-fatal attack, simply continued to look deep into his eyes, refusing to break gazes until his were the familiar dark shade of green once more. The one hand that was touching his jaw slide back behind his head. The hand holding his beloved scarf rose from her side, and Happy watched in awe as Lucy threaded the scarf around both of their necks. It was only long enough to loop once, and Lucy had to step closer to her fiancé to make it work. So close, that when she leaned forward to touch her forehead to his, she was almost pressed up against him. The same dark fire that spat from his hands now kissed her skin, but she wasn't worried. Natsu's flames would never hurt her.

"Come back to me, my love," Lucy said softly, her voice steady as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You promised you would."

Small sounds reached her ears, and at first Lucy thought that Natsu was hissing. But when she opened her eyes, she saw that the man was actually crying, and there were small tears in his eyes. He was on the verge, Lucy realized, and all he needed was one more push.

"I will never leave you." Lucy gulped as her throat suddenly tightened again. "I love you, Natsu."

The flames flickered out. Natsu gasped suddenly, as if some great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. With the glow quickly fading, the black char on his hands cracked apart and fell away, restoring the secure and calloused hands of the dragon slayer. Though his shaking had stopped, the entire ordeal left Natsu more exhausted than he had ever been, save for one other time in his life. Arms dropping onto Lucy's shoulders, the woman just barely managed to catch him in time to keep him from falling face first into the sea. Sinking down with him, Lucy and Natsu knelt in the knee-deep water. Happy fluttered over, watching over Lucy's shoulder as Natsu took multiple lungfuls of air. When he finally managed to look up at her, his eyes were half-lidded, and tears still sat trapped on his eyelashes.

"I could have killed you." The self-loathing on his face and in his voice was so strong, Lucy felt like she had gotten punched in the gut. But she was so glad to hear his voice, see his eyes, feel his hands.

Lunging forward, Lucy closed the gap between their faces in a desperate kiss. The tears on his cheeks coerced Lucy's own to once again resurface – but this time they were tears of joy. Natsu pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. Happy huffed a sigh of relief as he rested himself upon Natsu's shoulder, nuzzling his face into the scarf around his and Lucy's necks. Natsu pulled away from Lucy, his hands cradling both sides of her face as he took her in. His eyebrows were arched up in sadness, dark thoughts swimming behind his eyes.

"If anything ever happened to you… because of _me_." He shook his head slightly. "Please, Lucy, I beg you. Don't ever do that again."

"Only if you swear to me," Lucy breathed. "That _this_ will never happen again."

Natsu gazed down at her, not sure of what to say. She and Happy were the two most important things in his life. He would move mountains and dry up seas to keep them safe, and hunt down anyone or anything that caused them harm to the ends of the earth. But what was he supposed to do when it had been _him_ who had done the damage? Both of them were looking at him, mixed feeling of relief, joy, and fear playing on their faces. Realizing that no words could ever convey how sorry he was for making them worry so much, Natsu simply embraced them both, planting a kiss to Lucy's hair.

The truth of the matter was that Natsu was scared too, because he couldn't do what Lucy wanted. He couldn't guarantee that this would never happen again. The etherious within him had been completely undetectable before encountering the Leviathan, making Natsu think that it was gone – but now…

Natsu could still feel it. Incredibly weak, and almost non-existent, but definitely there, waiting behind his heart.

Natsu didn't say anything. He released a shuddering sigh as his arms closed tighter over Lucy and Happy. For a long while, the three of them sat in the waters of the sea, the steam dissipating and revealing the sun once more. No one spoke as their tears dried, thoughts filled with the events of the past hour, and a silent pondering as to what it all meant.

* * *

After meeting with Captain Kobe on shore, the four of them walked along the beach back to Gladrindale. Apart from Kobe thanking them profusely for slaying the Leviathan, it was a silent journey. The trek took up the better part of the day, and when they finally entered the small fishing village, the sun was an hour or so from setting. Lucy, Natsu, and Happy apologized for the destruction of the _Light Chaser_ , knowing full well that it meant that the fisherman was semi-permanently out of work. Kobe was good-natured about it, though, and insisted that it wasn't their fault and that he had considered something like that happening when he had volunteered to help with the job. This did little to dissuade the guilt that they all felt, however. They all reached the same silent decision as they parted ways with the boatless captain, no doubt eager to return home to his worried wife.

They changed back into their civilian clothes before meeting with the Mayor of Gladrindale at the brink of dusk. The tall fat man was beside himself with gratitude, congratulating them on such a difficult accomplishment and even offering to double their reward money. Lucy smiled and thanked him in return for the generous offer, but insisted that the mayor give the money to Kobe, so that he may buy materials to build a new boat. The man had been unspeakably brave after all, and he deserved to continue his life unhindered now that things would be returning to normal. It wasn't like Lucy payed rent anymore, she had said with a smile towards Natsu. The Mayor grinned and accepted her terms, completely agreeing that the fisherman fully deserved it.

They decided not to stay in Gladrindale, and instead took the night train back to Magnolia. Natsu's usual reluctance towards transportation was completely over powered by the urge to return home and sleep in his own bed. He spent the majority of the five-hour train ride sprawled out on the seat bench, pressing his face into the cushion. Lucy and Happy dozed as well, but mostly they sat in silence and watched Natsu.

"I'm taking him to see Porlyusica tomorrow." Lucy finally murmured.

Happy sighed and nodded. "I think that's a good idea."

There was a lull of silence before Lucy spoke again.

"What happened, Happy?" Her voice was low, though the train was nearly empty and Natsu didn't seem to be listening. "I thought E.N.D.'s book was burned?"

Happy considered her words, thinking something along the same lines. "It was. We were all there. We saw Zeref go down, and the book crumbled to ashes. And then…" The exceed shuddered at the unpleasant memory. "I don't know, Lucy. Maybe the book wasn't the only thing making him an etherious?"

Lucy shook her head. "It doesn't seem likely. Mavis told us that the books Zeref created were the physical manifestation of the etherious' power. Since all the demons he created are pure ethernano, except for Natsu, destroying the book destroys the demon." Lucy bit her lip. "And as far as I know there are only two ways to destroy Zeref's books; defeating the demon, or defeating Zeref."

Lucy and Happy absorbed her words in a span of silence. A frown curved out of Happy's mouth as a horrible thought entered his head.

"Lucy…" He was almost afraid to say his mind out loud, as if that might somehow make it true. "You don't think that Zeref could still be… _alive_ , somehow, do you?"

Lucy didn't say anything. She didn't want to consider that option, but the truth was that she already had. If the black wizard was still alive after all these years, then he would have made himself known, right? The Leviathan had appeared around four months ago out of nowhere. Demons from the Books of Zeref don't just pop up, especially after their maker was presumed dead. So what had happened? Why now? And what did it mean for Natsu? These questions and countless more swirled in Lucy's head as she stared at the man on the bench across from her. She had a bad feeling that whatever had happened today on the ocean wasn't over yet.

The train pulled into Magnolia Station about a quarter to midnight. The streets were quiet as the group made their way through the city and out to the rural path that lead straight up to their house, Natsu and Lucy walking hand in hand, his thumb gently stroking circles on top of her knuckles. When they finally walked through the front door, everyone was tired and hungry, but it felt extremely good to be home.

Lucy had officially moved in with Natsu and Happy about a year ago, combining his house with her furniture. They had expanded it slightly, adding another compartment to the back side of the house that would become their bedroom so they wouldn't have to sleep in the living room. They had built it together, and was their proudest accomplishment thus far. A small yellow wooden star with her name on it was added to the sign hanging in front of the house. Living together had started off rather rocky, what with Lucy having a lot of stuff for a small house and Natsu having a loose understanding of the word 'tidy'.

Fortunately, both of them had similar methods of conflict resolution. Unfortunately, those methods involved throwing things and loud voices, which devolved into wrestling on the floor.

Which then turned into make-up sex, and resulted in compromise. They made it work.

Lucy had given up a few things to make room, and Natsu began to pick up after himself more. The house became a home, and they grew up together. The final step of the plan was to grow old together.

As hungry as they were, nobody was willing to cook, so everybody went to bed with empty stomachs. Natsu and Lucy shuffled through the kitchen to their bedroom while Happy fluttered up to his roost on one of the branches of the tree that grew through the house. The small blue cat was out before he could completely curl up in his nest.

As they entered their room, Lucy sighed heavily as she sat down on the bed and stretched her arms over her head. Her bones were weary from the abnormally long and unexpected day. Exhausted – as well as emotionally drained – all Lucy wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep for half a day. She was starting to pull the covers back from the bed when she realized that Natsu hadn't joined her on the bed. Looking up, Lucy saw that he was still standing in the doorway, eyes cast to the floor. His forlorn expression was dimly lit by the fist-sized lacrima sitting on the bedside table. Lucy put the blankets back down and turned to sit so she was facing Natsu, waiting for him to speak first. It took several moments of silence before he did.

"I wouldn't blame you if you preferred I sleep on the couch tonight," he mumbled, not meeting her gaze.

Lucy wasn't sure what to say at first. "I guess that's up to you, but… I kinda don't want to be alone right now. I don't want you to be alone either."

Natsu seemed relieved, which surprised Lucy. Did he really think she wouldn't want to be with him after what had happened? Natsu walked over to the other side of the bed and sat, drawing his legs up to sit cross-legged on the blankets. One hand ran through his hair as he huffed a laugh through his nose.

"Nice to know I haven't scared you away." He looked up into Lucy's eyes. She smiled back at him, though her eyes didn't match it.

"Do you really think you can scare me off so easily?" Lucy joked. "You know I'm not going anywhere. Not till after we get married."

That made Natsu smirk. But the happy moment quickly dissipated from his face.

"It's all I've been thinking about," Natsu spoke softly. "Today, I mean. Why it happened, what it means… None of the answers I could think of point to anything good."

Lucy put her hand on top of his. Her skin was soft and cool against his.

"I think it would be best if we wait to think about those things till morning. Besides, you seem okay now." Lucy just barely felt him tense beneath her. "Right?"

Natsu hesitated just the slightest, which immediately sent up a red flag in Lucy's head. But before she could speak on it, Natsu was beaming at her and clasping her hand in his.

"I'll be okay for now, I promise." With that, he yawned widely, showing his pointed teeth. "Are you going to be okay?"

Lucy grinned back at him, raising a hand to his face and touching the bandage covering the cut on his jaw. "I hope that doesn't scar. You don't need a matching one." She was implying the scar on the other side of his face that he had gotten three years ago.

Natsu stuck his tongue in his cheek, pressing against Lucy's finger. Laughing at her irked expression, Natsu flopped over and nuzzled his head against his pillow. "I'll have Wendy make it like new when we stop by the guild tomorrow. Let's go to bed." He patted the spot on the mattress next to him invitingly.

Lucy grinned and nodded. When they were both settled under the blankets, Lucy reached over and tapped a finger against the lacrima, putting out the light. Darkness enveloped the room, save for the dim starlight shining through the window. Though they couldn't see each other, Natsu and Lucy easily shifted to fit next to each other like a practiced habit. He looped one arm around her as she curled up against his side, her head and fingers resting on his chest. It wasn't long before their breathing was in sync and their hearts beat in tandem.

"Hey, Luce?" Natsu's gruff voice cut through the silence. "Did I ever tell you that Igneel used to sing me to sleep?"

He felt Lucy nod against his chest. "On the nights that you couldn't sleep. You taught me the lullaby. What made you think of that?"

Natsu gave a small shrug. "I don't know." He turned his head and planted a kiss into her hair. "Just popped into my head all of a sudden."

* * *

They all slept in well past dawn the next morning. When Lucy woke up, it felt like her head was packed full of cotton. It almost hurt. When she slipped out of bed, Natsu was still sawing logs. One shower and beauty routine later, Lucy was feeling much better, though still a little rundown. If she wasn't careful, she was going to get a head cold. Natsu had gotten up and was already cooking breakfast. His specialty – spicy breakfast omelets – infused the air with a peppery taste that made Lucy's mouth water. Happy had climbed down from his perch and was pouring out three glasses of orange juice on the small table in the corner of the kitchen. Apparently the cat had felt the need for some extra vitamins as well.

Lucy stepped up behind Natsu, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her chin on his shoulder. One of his hands came up to hold hers while the other carefully manipulated the spatula to flip the eggs over the stuffings of peppers, herbs, and seasoned meat. Craning his head around, Natsu pecked a quick kiss to Lucy's cheek, muttering a "good morning" to her. Lucy hummed in response, then disentangled herself to prepare their usual bowl of fruit.

After they had eaten, the three mages prepared for the day and headed out the door. It was a sunny day in Magnolia, the spring air just a touch above cool at the perfect temperature for light clothing. While walking to the guild, Lucy informed Natsu that they were going to see Porlyusica. She had been expecting retaliation, since her fiancé and the old witch got along about as well as oil on water. But Natsu simply groaned and nodded in agreement. After all, he wanted to know what had happened more than anyone.

When they entered through the front door of the guild, Lucy and Natsu cast large smiles around the hall at the chorus of greetings that welcomed them. After the war three years ago, the Fairy Tail guild building had needed some refurbishing. But mostly it was the same as it ever was, only with a few upgrades made here and there.

"Welcome back!" Mirajane called from behind the bar. The Take-Over mage also hadn't changed much in the past three years, but now she wore her white hair in a braid over her shoulder. She smiled brightly at the three. "How was Gladrindale?"

Natsu and Lucy shared a look. They could see in each other's eyes that they both thought that it would be best to only tell what had happened to the people that needed to know. Lucy stepped up to Mira, lowering her voice.

"Actually Mira, we were hoping to speak to the master. Is he in?" She leaned over the bar, practically whispering. "It's kind of urgent."

Mira seemed confused at that. "Yes, he's here. He's in his office. Freed? Can you watch the bar for me?"

Freed, who was already placed behind the bar and was busy polishing glasses, raised his chin at the woman. Mira lead them through the guild toward the far left corner, where the Master's office resided. It was the quietest location in the guild, but things still got a little loud. Mirajane knocked on the door, opening it at the gruff response from the other side.

"Master?" She poked her head in. "Natsu, Lucy, and Happy are back."

Mira opened the door fully and allowed them all to step inside. Lucy looked across the desk cluttered with paperwork to the high-backed chair that was facing away from them. It was only when the door was closed again and Mira had gone to stand to one side of the desk that the master finally spoke.

"So, Natsu, I guess you managed _not_ to destroy half a town this time, due to the lack of complaints I've received." Laxus spun around in his chair, grinning at the other dragon slayer. "I gotta say, I'm almost disappointed."

* * *

A/N: I'm afraid I'm going to get some dirt for having Laxus as master. But you know what? The poor guy has been through so much and come so far from the douche bag he was, I honestly think he would make a great master. Also, I'm a firm supporter of the idea that Natsu is actually a really good cook. Just saying. And everybody else will get reintroduced in the next chapter.

Thank you so much to those of you who have reviewed, it always boosts my spirits to know my writing is appreciated. I know not much happened in this chapter, but a review would still be greatly appreciated. If this fic reaches 20 reviews, my heart might explode and I'll post double chapters!

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	4. With Friends Like These

There had only been a few times in Laxus' life to date where he had been completely caught off-guard. The most recent one had been a little more than three years ago, when the guild of Fairy Tail had unanimously voted to elect him as the ninth master. The last thing he had expected was the encouragement and support he had received after initially turning down the position. He had thought that someone like Erza or Mirajane – or hell, even Lucy – would be better suited for the job. But everybody was adamant about him succeeding his grandfather. Ultimately, it had been Natsu that had talked him into it.

That had been the good kind of surprise. This was the bad kind.

Lucy had done most of the talking, but Laxus was gazing sternly at Natsu. The other man kept his eyes dropped and submissive, obviously feeling shy in the spotlight of Mirajane's and Laxus' eyes. To say that the Take-Over mage looked shocked would be a massive understatement. After the war, only a few people had been privy to the secret of Natsu's origins and special circumstances. A meeting consisting of Erza, Wendy, Gajeel, and a select few key members of Fairy Tail was called to fully disclose just exactly how Zeref had been taken down, and the consequences thereof. But only Gray, Lucy, Happy, Laxus, Mirajane, and Freed knew about Natsu's relationship with the black wizard. At the time, the threat of E.N.D.'s reappearance had been a bigger threat then than it was now.

"I see. Just when I thought it was starting to get boring around here," Laxus sighed. "Are you alright at least, Natsu?"

Natsu looked up at Laxus, taking in the Master's cocked eyebrow and set jaw. "Yeah, I'm okay now."

"Thank goodness," Mira breathed. "I never would have thought that one of Zeref's demons could still be around after all this time."

"Or that it would have such an adverse effect on you." Laxus clasped his hands under his chin as he leaned back in his chair. "The Leviathan's own etherious must have reawakened yours for some reason. But I guess the real question is, where the hell did that thing come from?"

Natsu rolled his eyes. "It's gone now. As long as another doesn't pop up, I should be good, right?"

"That's entirely it, though, Natsu." Lucy spoke softly, leaning forward to catch his gaze. "What if there _are_ more out there? If one demon was able to survive without Zeref, then who's to say there aren't others?"

"Just one was bad enough," Happy said from where he sat on Lucy's lap.

"Then we take them down, obviously." Natsu spread his hands, feigning nonchalance. "There are plenty of wizards in this guild capable of defeating Zeref's demons besides me!"

"Damn it Natsu, this is serious." Laxus abruptly stood from his chair, hands planted heavily on his desk. "What if the next demon that awakens is _you_?"

Natsu stiffened, the dark energy behind his heart stirring like it knew it was being talked about. Laxus glared down at Natsu with wide, challenging eyes. Lucy, Mira, and Happy watched in silence, the tension in the air rising. Natsu said nothing, but also didn't back down from Laxus' gaze. After a few slow moments, Laxus sighed once more and turned to Mira.

"Tell Freed that I'm going to visit gramps soon, and that he's free to come along."

"You know he will." Mira smiled gently.

"As for you three," he said as he turned back to the other mages. "I'm going with you to see Porlyusica. I won't be too long, so try not to get into too much trouble in the meantime. I expect that you'll agree with me that we keep this whole demon thing under wraps for now, at least until we get a better idea of what's going on."

With that, everyone stood and exited the Master's office. Lucy sidled up to Natsu as Happy jumped down from her lap. She nudged him gently with her shoulder, her expression clearly asking him if he was okay. Natsu smiled back in return, his hand automatically finding hers as they entered the main guild hall. As they left the quiet seclusion of the office and entered the bustling atmosphere of the guild, Lucy, Natsu, and Happy walked with Mirajane back to the bar where she approached Freed with Laxus' message. Natsu paused before taking a seat, eyes catching on someone across the room. Standing tall, Natsu shouted out and waved his hand in the air.

"Hey! Wendy!"

The young dragon slayer looked up, face lighting up at the sight of Natsu and Lucy. Carla looked over as well, standing up from her spot on the table they had been talking at to join Wendy as they crossed the hall.

Wendy was growing into a fine young woman. She was tall and slender, and was still unfathomably kind. Her use of her magic had also strengthened, and now she was a Dragon Slayer with as much might as Natsu and Gajeel. She had even developed a way to make her Troia spell effective on Natsu once more, if only for a short period of time. Her face had become more angular as the years went by, losing her childish looks, and as Wendy entered her late teens, she was already well on her way to becoming a powerful and beautiful mage. The only thing that still gave Wendy grief was that, unlike her Edolas counterpart, she still wasn't as… _developed_ in the feminine area. Lucy had to constantly remind the younger woman that that wasn't technically a bad thing.

"Lucy, Natsu! Welcome back!" Lucy and Wendy embraced, both giggling. When she turned to Natsu, she stopped at the bandages on his face. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Natsu shrugged. "The boat exploded."

"Exploded?!" Wendy gaped at him.

"I don't know why you're surprised. Seems pretty typical to me." Carla smirked. She turned to her blue counterpart. "Did you get a chance to practice your transformation, Happy?"

Happy scratched the back of his head, smiling apologetically at Carla. "Things got a little hectic, you could say. I was more concentrated on staying alive!"

Natsu grunted at Happy's comment.

Happy had asked Carla to help him develop his own human transformation only a couple weeks ago. It was the bravest thing Happy had ever done, and Carla had to admire him for that. Happy had admitted that there were advantages to donning a human appearance, one of which was being able to get into buildings that were pet-free. Carla thought that was a stupid reason to want to learn, but agreed anyway. Having learned the basics from Mirajane a long time ago, Happy learned quickly under Carla's tutelage. But he was still struggling a little with certain, finer details.

"Let me get those for you," Wendy said, reaching one hand up to Natsu's face. "If it scars, it'll look like you have cat whiskers."

"That's what I said." Lucy elbowed Natsu's arm playfully. Natsu smiled suggestively at her.

"Don't pretend you don't think my scars are sexy." He leaned closer to her. "Isn't that why you're always biting me on my-"

A quick finger sharply to his ribs shut his mouth quickly. Natsu crumpled on his bar stool and groaned.

"Anyway," Lucy turned back to Wendy, though it was easy to tell that she was irked by the near-reveal. "Yes, we would love for you take care of those."

It took less than ten seconds. Natsu discarded the bandages and scratched the new skin.

"Feels like I've got a brand new face!" Natsu laughed.

A sudden draft from outside and the loud clang of the front door opening caused everyone to twist around. Laxus and Freed had just stepped out, no doubt heading for Kardia Cathedral. Freed was carrying a small bouquet of flowers. Lucy was almost surprised to see that Bixlow and Evergreen didn't join them as well.

The Thunder Legion had more or less disbanded when Laxus became master, since he wasn't going to be going on jobs anymore. Of course, they all remained close friends, and they still accompanied him to important meetings out of town. In between those, however, they branched out and teamed up with other members of the guild for jobs. Except for Freed. Remaining strong in his loyalty to Laxus, Freed had approached Mirajane and all but begged her to take him under her wing. He claimed he wanted to serve Laxus as master as well as Mira had served Makarov. She accepted with a big smile on her face. And that was how Freed became Mirajane 2.0.

"Maybe we should pay a visit to Master, too." Lucy said, a small sad smile on her face.

Wendy nodded. "It's been a while since I've gone as well. It'd be nice to pay my respects."

"We already are."

Everyone turned at Natsu's words, but his gaze was turned up, taking in the wooden rafters of the guild and the sunlight pouring in through the skylights. His face was serene, eyes thoughtful – a complete contrast to the alive and bustling atmosphere of the guild. The oh-so familiar ambience of the Fairy Tail building had come to mean something else to those members that had been part of the war. Though there had been much grief and anger following the conclusion of the invasion, the guild had also served as a sanctuary for its children – a place where they could all heal and overcome their sadness. There wasn't a single veteran that didn't have Makarov's last words completely memorized. New members didn't fully understand just how special the legacy they carried on their shoulders was, but that was part of the eternal mystery that Makarov and Mavis had envisioned for the guild. No one ever forgot that.

Natsu nodded once in finality, smiling at his fiancé and the other dragon slayer.

"We don't have to go to church to see Gramps. He's right here."

"Spoken like a true bonehead."

Natsu frowned and spun around at the voice, Lucy and Wendy giggling. "Way to shatter a beautiful moment, Gray!"

Gray grinned mischievously as he approached the bar, leaning against the aged wood. "Save all that mushy crap for your wedding day, eh Natsu?"

Natsu had surpassed Gray in height at some point in the last three years, but that wasn't to say that Gray wasn't tall, and he had made up for the lost inches with more muscle. He wasn't nearly as big as Elfman, but he filled out clothes a lot more. Once, he ripped the sleeves on his shirt just by crossing his arms. It was an accident, but it drove Juvia nuts. Gray had also started letting his dark facial hair grow into a close cropped goatee, to show that time had passed and that he wasn't a boy anymore.

Wendy gasped. "You guys picked a date?!"

"No." Lucy leaned toward the younger woman, speaking softly, though still loud enough for all to hear in mock secrecy. "We can't settle on a date until _someone_ decides who they want their best man to be!"

"I don't know why you're waiting on me to pick." Natsu crossed his arms and scowled. "I also don't see why I even need one to begin with!"

Lucy sighed. "We can't send out invitations to our friends in other guilds till we pick a date, and we can't pick a date till the wedding party had been decided. You had one job, Natsu, and you're slacking."

"I can be my own best man, dammit!"

"Quite being such a baby and ask me already." Gray sneered. "I'm dying for the opportunity to turn you down."

Natsu scowled. "That's exactly why I'm not asking you, perv."

"Don't listen to him, Natsu." Everyone turned as Juvia walked up behind Gray, grocery bags on her arms. She placed them on the bar, leaning backwards so she could smile at Natsu. "Despite what he says, Gray would love to be your best man. He told me himself. Isn't that right, darling?"

Gray puckered his lips in thought as Juvia stepped up beside him. "That's not exactly how I worded it. You finish running errands for Mirajane?"

"Mhm." Juvia nodded. Juvia took her hair out of it's pony tail, letting her wavy blue hair fall around her shoulders. "I also stopped by your place and grabbed that shirt you forgot to put on this morning."

Gray jumped, just now realizing that he was in fact shirtless. Taking the garment offered by Juvia with a sheepish grin, Gray wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave her an affectionate squeeze.

"Thank you. I really appreciate that."

About two weeks after the war, Gray had taken Juvia away from the guild up to the lake within the mountains. There, he had finally given her his answer. While the Ice-Make mage had admitted that he wasn't sure if he was really _in love_ with Juvia, he did confess that the two of them had been through so much together, good and bad times, that he did feel _something_ – and that he was willing to meet her halfway because of that. It might not have been exactly what Juvia had wanted to hear, but nevertheless, she couldn't have been happier. The two of them have been going steady ever since.

"So does that mean that you've chosen someone to be your maid of honor, Lucy?" Carla asked as Gray buttoned up his shirt.

"Yep! And it's going to be a surprise!" Lucy smiled and winked. "Only they know who they are!"

"I'll tell you right now, Carla, that it's not me," Wendy said with a shrug.

"I know who it is," Natsu smirked. Then his expression turned wary. "But I've been… _delicately asked_ not to tell anyone if I want to keep my-"

"Too much information, Natsu." Happy sighed.

"Thanks for getting those groceries for me, Juvia." Mirajane stepped up to the bar and collected the bags. Turning to Natsu and Lucy, she said "I think it would be adorable if Gray was your best man! Nobody knows you better than him, Natsu. Except Lucy of course."

"Yeah. I mean who else are you gonna ask? Gildarts isn't here, Gajeel would rather chew his own foot off, and Elfman…" Gray didn't have to finish, knowing his point was made. Gray stepped up to Natsu, slinging his right arm over Natsu's shoulders. "And who knows? Maybe if you ask me really nicely, I might just-"

Gray gasped suddenly, snatching his arm back and cradling it close to his body. Natsu cocked an eyebrow, confused by Gray's sudden violent reaction along with everybody else. Gray said nothing as he looked down at his hand with a startled expression. He was panting softly. Juvia approached him and laid a hand on his back, softly calling his name and asking what was wrong. Slowly, Gray shifted his gaze back to Natsu, shock turning into suspicion. His left hand was holding his right, as if Natsu had burned him. Though the sleeves of his shirt covered his arms, Lucy saw a saw a small triangle of dark flesh creep out of the cuff on Gray's wrist. She felt a trickle of dread as she realized what had happened. Mirajane was faster though, and beat her to the punch.

"Lucy!" Mira almost shouted. Everyone turned to her. She was smiling, but the expression was strained, her eyes wide and focused on Lucy's face. "Didn't you tell me you and Natsu had to go pick out a cake today?"

Lucy blinked, realizing that Mira was giving her and Natsu an out. "O-oh! Yes! We do! _Right now! Let's go!_ "

Natsu cocked an eyebrow. "Cake? I thought we already-"

"I'm having second thoughts." Lucy spoke quickly as she grabbed Natsu with one hand and snatched Happy off the ground with the other. The blue cat yelped as she hugged him close to her chest and dragged them towards the door. "I just remembered that I had a terrible experience with chocolate once, and I would hate to relive the trauma on my wedding day. Bye everyone! We'll see you later!"

"I'll tell Laxus to meet you!" Mira shouted after them.

The small group of mages watched as Lucy, Natsu, and Happy disappeared out the front doors. Wendy and Carla shared a look.

"What on earthland was that?" Carla said, turning to Mira. "What does Laxus have to do with wedding cake?"

Mira's only response was an uncertain chuckle. Juvia, watching Gray closely, titled her head at him.

"Gray? Are you alright?" She spoke quietly.

Gray just continued to stare out the front door where Natsu had just left. If Juvia didn't know any better, it would have seemed like Gray was scared. But Juvia did know better, and it shocked her to see that Gray was absolutely _terrified._

"I don't know what just happened," Gray breathed as he met Juvia's eyes. He could feel the tattoo on his arm fade away again, as if it was never there. "But I really hope I'm wrong."

After Lucy had dragged Natsu and Happy a ways down the street and down another, she finally released them, heaving a sigh of relief. That could have quickly turned into a very bad situation. Thank the gods for Mirajane's quick thinking.

"Mind telling me what that was all about?" Natsu crossed his arms. "You love chocolate more than life itself, so I know this isn't about some stupid cake."

Lucy gave him an incredulous look before sighing. Natsu was a true detective, she thought dryly.

"I'm such and idiot. Why didn't I think about this sooner?" She mumbled to herself. Lucy straightened and gave Natsu a hard look – one of dread and ire. "When Gray touched you, I think his Devil Slayer magic must have reacted to you."

Natsu started at that. "Devil Slayer? But he hasn't used that spell in years. I thought it went away after the war."

"I think he did too, judging by the look on his face," Happy chimed in.

Lucy's eyebrows scrunched together in thought. "It can't be a good sign if Gray's power is coming back, especially after what happened with the Leviathan… but I could be wrong, right?"

Natsu didn't respond, thinking about the last time that he and Gray had clashed as demon and demon slayer. He still couldn't remember the entire fight, but he did know that it was bad – the worst fight that they had ever had. If Erza hadn't stopped them, they would have killed each other. Natsu sighed through his nose, resolving then and there that something like that would never happen again in the future. The etherious energy behind his heart quivered, like it was laughing at him.

"Come on," Natsu said, leading the way out of town. "Let's head to Porlyusica's."

* * *

A/N: I didn't want to throw a whole bunch of info at you guys all at once, so any characters that I didn't address here will be in the next chapter! Can you guys guess who Lucy's maid of honor is?

 **I ALSO HAVE A POLL FOR YOU GUYS! GO TO MY PROFILE AND CAST YOUR VOTE!**

Thank you to everyone that had reviewed! All reviews are welcome, even if it's to tell me I might have missed something! If this story gets up to 30 reveiws, I'll post a double chapter, how does that sound?

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	5. Trouble In Paradise

**PLEASE GO AND VOTE IN THE POLL! IT TAKES LESS THAN FIVE SECONDS!**

* * *

"Well, I can't say that there's anything wrong with you," Porlyusica grumbled, looking over at the man sitting on her bed. "Physically or otherwise."

They had arrived at Porlyusica's tree-house to find the Healing mage outside harvesting herbs from her garden. While the older woman had clearly not been expecting guests, she also wasn't completely surprised to see Natsu, Lucy, and Happy. If there was one thing she had learned over the years, it was to _always_ expect a visit from the dragon slayer and his friends. After hearing Lucy explain why they were there, Porlyusica hummed in thought, disappointed that they actually had a good enough reason to seek her out, and that she couldn't chase them away with her broom.

Laxus had shown up in the middle of Natsu's physical without Freed. He was regarded silently by the old woman as he ducked his head to step into her tree-house. Laxus gave her the same treatment. To outsiders, it might have seemed like the two were hostile towards each other – but in reality, this was how they showed respect. The deep connection they both shared through Makarov was enough to warrant it. Her guidance and support had proven to be invaluable.

"You didn't find anything?" Laxus asked.

Porlyusica shrugged as she hoisted herself to her feet, leaning heavily on the cane that Wendy had made for her about a year ago. The woman had been old before the war, and now it seemed like the years were catching up with her. "It's hard to be sure when I don't even know what I'm looking for. I wasn't able to pick up any demon traces or other malignant entities. I did your bloodwork just to be safe. Everything comes back normal. Well… normal for you, at least."

It was odd, Porlyusica had to admit, that she hadn't been able to find any hint of E.N.D. or other magic within Natsu given what had happened. But his blood hadn't reacted to any of the serums that she used to detect anomalies. Before Natsu's etherious energy had initially awakened, she had been able to sense the demonic power without using any of her instruments or tinctures. It was hard to forget a feeling like that. After the war, there had been trace elements of the dark magic lingering in the young dragon slayer – it had taken him weeks to burn it all out and purify his magic once again. But now… nothing.

"I'll say it again." Porlyusica cast a hard eye to everyone. "I specialize in healing injuries caused by magic. I'm not a doctor. _But_ , if I were one, I'd say that you have nothing to worry about, Natsu."

Happy and Lucy exchanged smiles while Laxus huffed a sigh of relief through his nose. Natsu sat forward, propping his elbows onto his knees and resting his chin on his steeped hands, eyes cast to the floor. Though not really the reaction that Porlyusica had been expecting, she couldn't really find it in herself to care. If Natsu wasn't satisfied with her conclusions, that wasn't her fault.

"Now, if that's all you people wanted, please get out of my-"

"Can you do it again?"

Everyone turned to stare at Natsu, who kept his eyes down. Porlyusica's crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I can, but the result will be the same." The old mage stepped up to Natsu, leering over him. She really did not like having her time wasted. "Unless you know something I don't."

Natsu sighed as he took his chin off his hands and pressed his forehead to his knuckles. He knew everyone was watching him, waiting for him to respond. The etherious behind his heart was pressing against his magic hard enough to remind Natsu that it was still there. The fact that Porlyusica hadn't been able to detect it had surprised Natsu. He had hoped that she would be able to explain what was happening to him, and he could pretend to be surprised along with the rest of them. Seeing as that wasn't going to happen, Natsu had no other choice but to come clean. Lucy was going to hate him for lying to her.

"It's still there." Natsu's voice was barely above a whisper. "I can still feel it."

"What on earthland are you talking about, Natsu?" Laxus snapped.

Natsu sat up, slapping his hands against his knees in frustration. "The damn etherious! I can still feel it inside me!"

No one spoke for a while – too stunned at his words – so Natsu seized the silence and continued, voice softer and one hand rubbing his chest.

"I can feel it, somewhere around here. I think… my magic is keeping it contained, like behind a sheet of glass. But the glass is cracked or something, and now…" Natsu turned to look up at Lucy. Her face was expressionless. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Lucy."

Her only response was to continue to stare at him. Natsu could only imagine what she was thinking at this moment. Happy at least had the decency to let his shock and fear play on his face – not that that was any better.

"Are you sure it's your etherious?" Porlyusica asked in a put-off tone. "You sure you aren't just… nervous?"

Natsu couldn't help but be offended. "I might not be the smartest guy in the guild, but I can tell the difference between dark magic in my own body and a bad case of the jitters, lady. Besides, I don't _get_ nervous. The only time in my life I was ever nervous was when I asked her to marry me."

At that, Lucy finally reacted by giving a small smile. "It's true. He was a trainwreck."

"How long have you been like this?" Porlyusica pressed, ignoring Natsu's blatant disrespect.

"Since yesterday." Natsu dropped his eyes in thought. "After defeating the Leviathan."

Porlyusica's eyebrows drew together, thoughts racing behind her eyes. "And have you used your magic at all since then."

"No."

"I guess that explains why Gray reacted the way he did." Happy commented. Laxus gave a start, glaring down at the small blue cat.

"What? You mean Gray knows?" Laxus took an unwitting step forward, looming over Happy.

"No, we didn't tell him anything!" Happy crumpled a little under Laxus' stare. "But I think he suspects. He touched Natsu and his devil slayer magic went crazy! We had no idea that was gonna happen…"

Laxus stepped back and rubbed a hand to his temple, allowing Happy to retreat behind Lucy's ankles.

"Great, this is all I need." Laxus sighed. If one were to look close enough, they would see a few white hairs among the blonde.

The Healing mage's lips pinched together in a thin line as she gathered her thoughts.

"If Gray was able to sense your etherious and I wasn't, it can only mean one thing." Porlyusica closed her eyes, dreading the words she was about to say. "Your magic and E.N.D.'s are fusing together. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but I do know it can't be good."

Natsu stiffened. "That… sounds a lot like something Igneel told me once." He looked up to see the old woman staring at him, one eyebrow cocked as she waited for him to elaborate. "During the war, I somehow wound up meeting Igneel in my heart and he told me that there were two magic seeds trying to fuse together inside me, and I had to choose what I was – a dragon, or a demon – in order to live. I chose to be human. I was under the impression that that had solved everything."

"Yeah, that logic always seemed a little shaky to me," Happy mumbled from behind Lucy's legs.

Natsu twisted to sneer at the exceed. "I lived, didn't I?"

Natsu's eyes moved from Happy to Lucy's knees, trailing up her body to her face. She hadn't said anything in a while. Her arms were crossed loosely, one hand dropped to her hip to trace light circles over the fabric of her shirt, right where he scar was. Her face still remained uncharacteristically blank. When he made eye contact with her, she simply blinked at him, seeing him but also not.

"I doubt something as simple as that is going to help you this time. You should refrain from using your magic at all for the time being," Porlyusica said, catching his attention once again. "With any luck, this whole thing might just blow over… but I highly doubt that." Turning toward a door that lead farther into her house, Porlyusica hobbled away on her cane. "Now get out. I need to concentrate. Except for you, Laxus. We need to talk."

Natsu looked like he was about to protest, but a quick growl from Laxus silenced him. "Go home, you three. Come back to the guild tomorrow, after all of this is given a chance to make sense."

As the Master stepped forward to follow Porlyusica into her library, Natsu stood from the bed and watched them disappear. Many of his questions remained unanswered, and simply being told to not use his magic and go home was extremely unsatisfying. But just as he was about to barge off after Laxus, a hand firmly grasped his upper arm.

"Come on," Lucy said, her voice firm. "Let's go."

Natsu hesitated for a moment, but then conceded and let Lucy lead him out the door, Happy following close behind.

When Laxus and Porlyusica heard her front door close, the old woman turned to him. It may not have seemed like she had aged much over the past three years apart from her cane and her hair being a few shades lighter – but there was one thing that gave away her elderly age. The white rings around the edges of her crimson irises had developed a while ago, and while they didn't impede her vision at all, it gave her a more mystic look. Laxus gazed back into those eyes, a feeling of foreboding creeping into his chest.

"It's bad, isn't it?"

"Probably more than we realize – more than _he_ realizes. We need to figure out why this is happening and how to prevent it quickly."

"The Leviathan appeared four months ago." Laxus thought out loud. "Something must have changed. Had you heard anything?"

"I stay away from people and their pointless gossip," Porlyusica snapped with a dismissive flick of her wrist. "If something broke somewhere in the world, it's your problem."

Laxus' lip curled. "Jee, thanks old hag."

"In the meantime, keep a close eye on Natsu." Porlyusica turned away and pulled a book down from a shelf. "Keep him out of battle and from using his magic. Tell me if anything changes."

"You mean like if E.N.D. awakens?" Laxus asked, one eyebrow cocked. It had been a rhetorical question, but Porlyusica stiffened and turned back to him, her eyes darkened with fear.

"I'm afraid to say," the Healing mage said lowly. "but it's possible that he already has."

* * *

The walk back to Magnolia was a tense, quiet one. Natsu walked behind Lucy, warily glancing to the back of her head every few seconds. He couldn't tell if she was mad, or just disappointed. Honestly, he would rather have his fiancé be angry with him. Even if was the worst kind of anger Lucy had – the silent, brewing type, like that of a thunder cloud looming on the horizon – it still beat the guilt of knowing that he had let her down. Happy was cautious as well, and neither of them were willing to break the silence, less they incur Lucy's wrath. But Natsu was never good with silence, and if he didn't say something now, then there was a very good chance he was going to do something _really_ stupid later.

"Hey, so I think Gajeel and Levy are coming back later today," Natsu said meekly. Maybe talking about the Solid-Script mage would lighten her spirits. "You wanna meet them later?"

Lucy said nothing as the slight wind gently tossed her hair around her shoudlers. She kept her head facing forward, as if Natsu wasn't even there. Natsu licked his lips, determined to see this tactic through to the end. He was anything but a quitter.

"I still can't believe we got engaged before they did." Natsu laughed, but it was a shaky one. "Then again, Gajeel was always a little slow on the uptake."

Lucy turned her head just enough to look at Natsu out of the corner of her eye. Natsu pinched his lips together, suddenly feeling very exposed. Happy shifted his eyes between the two as they continued to walk. He always hated it when they fought, but even he had to admit that Natsu keeping secrets such as this was a little insulting to him as well. Lucy's feelings, whatever they may be, were justified. Natsu was walking on thin ice, and just like what always happened when fire met ice, it was bound to break. Therefore, the cat kept his mouth shut. Lucy looked straight ahead once more without a word.

"I think… I also heard that Erza was coming back tomorrow, too," Natsu continued, but now it seemed he was mostly talking to himself. "Would be nice to say hello to her."

They had reached the edge of Magnolia, a blushing meadow marking the border between the Lilac Forest where Porlyusica lived and the city they called home. Here, Lucy stopped. Natsu and Happy halted as well, watching her as she contemplated the two paths before them; the one straight ahead and back to the guild, or the one that turned north towards the house. Natsu sighed through his nose, hoping that she would allow him to walk the same road as her.

"Happy," she finally spoke. "Can you head to the guild hall and make sure everything is alright with Gray and Wendy? I feel bad for leaving them in the dust."

Happy wasn't an idiot – Lucy wanted to be alone with Natsu. His eyes flickered over to the dragon slayer once before settling back on Lucy. "Sure. What should I tell them about the cake?"

"Tell them that I've overcome my fear of chocolate." Lucy laughed. "Thanks, Happy. We'll see you at home."

Happy waved goodbye as he took the path straight ahead into town while Natsu and Lucy curved north, taking a shortcut back to their house. Happy felt a little bad for Natsu and the earful that he would no doubt be receiving later on. But now he had a valid excuse to spend more time with Carla.

Natsu and Lucy walked side by side, their legs brushing noisily against the tall grass of the meadow. The pleasant floral scent from the newly-sprouted wild flowers was relaxing, betraying the tension between Lucy and Natsu. His mind felt strangely numb. He knew that Lucy sending Happy away was her way of letting Natsu know that she was being serious. But still she said nothing. Walking next to her granted him a better view of her face, and he could see her surprisingly serene expression as she gazed off into the distance. She looked beautiful in the full-sun of the early afternoon.

"I'm not mad at you," Lucy finally said after she took a deep sigh. "I promise."

Natsu watched her carefully – he could almost always tell when Lucy was lying. She wasn't. Swallowing past the dryness in his throat, he reached and arm out to lightly touch the curve of her ribs on her back. Lucy stepped into the touch, lifting her arm under his to hold him the same way. Natsu was never good with words, which was why he always let his actions speak for him. Some instances, such as this, proved to be the wrong way of going about things. He knew he should have told her about what he was feeling, and he deeply regretted that he didn't. Natsu had just been… so _scared_ that Lucy would think he was a monster and leave. The very thought made his chest tighten. He knew that was foolish, now. Lucy wasn't as simple as that, and it had been unfair of Natsu to believe that she was after everything they had been through. She was Lucy, after all. She deserved better than that.

"I'm sorry, Lucy," Natsu mumbled as he pressed his lips to her hair. Lucy hummed in response as they continued to walk through the meadow.

"We should be hearing from Blue Pegasus soon about your suit." Lucy looked up at him. "You'll have to go in for a fitting at some point. Think you can handle that without me?"

Natsu smirked down at her. "Don't worry. It's just trying on clothes and waiting around for hours. Nothing I haven't practiced with you."

Lucy chuckled at that. It was true – she had definitely utilized the boyfriend-bag-carrier perk when shopping ever since she and Natsu had gotten together. It wasn't just her, though. Juvia and Levy had been right there with her. Lucy still laughed at the memory of that day when they had all bumped into each other… how Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel had somehow managed to twist the situation into a contest of strength to see who could carry the most bags and boxes. There was no clear winner.

They continued to talk about wedding details as they walked – what food they were going to serve, the reception dinner, and the best way to keep Cana sober for as long as possible to name a few topics. When they approached their house, Lucy slowed to a stop, halting Natsu with her. As she took in the sight of their home, Natsu saw an idea playing behind Lucy's eyes.

"Hey Natsu," she said without looking at him. "When was the last time we sparred?"

Natsu blinked. "I'm not sure. Since before I proposed to you, I think."

Lucy had asked Natsu to teach her how to defend herself about five months into their relationship. Of course, Natsu had been delighted that she had asked. He proved himself to be one heck of a teacher, and completely defied Lucy's expectations. It was actually rather funny, because the techniques that Natsu taught her were ones of focus, balance, and control – things that he usually lacked in battle. When she had pointed this out to him, Natsu only smirked and said that since he had already mastered these things, he didn't have to follow them. That seemed a little backwards to Lucy, but his lessons were bearing fruit so she went along with it. Today, she was able to hold her own against Erza of all people.

"Maybe we should, just for fun." Lucy said as she moved away from Natsu, fists slightly raised. "Whadda ya say?"

Natsu cocked an eyebrow at her, a sneaking suspicion in the back of his mind telling him that she had an ulterior motive for bringing this up. But they had the rest of the day to widdle away and this would provide a good distraction. It was just odd that Lucy was the one to instigate the fight instead of him.

"Sounds great!" Natsu smirked as he loosened the scarf around his neck and cracked his knuckles. "You think you can beat me this time?"

"You can't use your magic," Lucy stated, returning his smirk right back to him. "I think I've got a pretty good chance."

Natsu might have been offended if he wasn't so excited. He and Lucy jogged around to the side of the house to the small field and the lone tree that waited there. Lucy did so without taking the time to change into her sparring clothes, which Natsu also thought was odd, but chalked it up to the idea that she was just excited, too.

"So what are the rules?" Natsu stretched his arm across his chest as Lucy stood across from him, stretching her calf muscles.

"Dodge. No holding back, either!" Lucy twisted her torso a couple of times before settling into her fighting stance. "I'll know if you do."

"You sure, Luce?" Natsu cocked his head. "You usually don't like it when I go all-"

Lucy's fist flying at his face cut him short as he bent backwards. Her elbow just barely skimmed the tip of his nose. Catching himself with one hand on the ground, Natsu instinctively swung one leg up, his knee headed straight for her gut. Just as quickly, Lucy pirouetted away from his attack on one foot, then followed through with the same momentum for a kick to his chest. Natsu flung his body up into a hand stand, shooting one foot out to try to knock her in the shoulder. Lucy evaded the kick, but it sent her off balance, allowing Natsu to flip over himself and right his body on his feet once more.

Lucy came at him again, and their match continued. Seeming more like an up-close-and-personal game of tag, Natsu and Lucy danced around each other as they each tried to land a hit on the other. That also meant that they weren't allowed to block, so it took a fair amount of acrobatic skill to remain in the fight. Where Natsu was definitely bigger and stronger, Lucy was flexible and quick. That wasn't to say that Lucy had also grown quite strong over the years. Her arms and legs were starting to gain a little muscle definition – which Natsu thought was unbelievably sexy.

But as their brawl carried on, Natsu began to realize that something wasn't right. While all his attacks were light and eased back so he wouldn't hurt her, Lucy's blows were always at full force, stirring small breezes on his skin as they just barely missed making contact with him. She wasn't smiling, either. Her face was hardened in concentration, and maybe a hint of frustration. It almost seemed like Lucy was actually trying to fight him, trying to strike him with all her might. A near miss to his groin seemed to confirm that for him. Lucy hadn't been lying earlier when she had said that she wasn't mad, because the truth was that she was _pissed_. Natsu realized that now, and cursed himself for falling for her trap so easily.

Lucy jumped, one leg curled to the side ready to kick at his head. Natsu was already ducked down low enough to dodge. But just as he was about to deliver a punch that he was certain she wouldn't be able to evade, Lucy twisted in midair, snapping her other leg up. The kick hit hard against the bone of Natsu's shoulder - not hard enough to break anything, but a bruise would definitely be there for a while. Natsu was just thankful that it hadn't been the shoulder with his guild mark on it.

Natsu tumbled to the side, sliding a little through the grass from the force of Lucy's attack. Lucy landed hard on her side, unable to get her feet under her in time. The two huffed on the ground, sweat coating their skin and grass sticking to their bodies. Lucy had won, if only just barely.

"You got that move from Gray," Natsu lifted his head. "I think that's cheating."

Lucy panted as she sat up, no trace of playfulness in her eyes. For a short while, neither of them spoke or moved as they caught their breath.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lucy spoke softly. "I could have done something. I could have… I don't know, somehow stopped E.N.D. from coming back. I would have done anything to-why are you shaking your head?"

"Because what you just said tells me that you don't understand." Natsu grunted as he sat up as well, rubbing his tender shoulder. "And this is exactly what I was afraid was going to happen."

Lucy gaped at him. "What exactly don't I understand? Please, _enlighten_ me!"

Natsu scowled at her tone, but tried not to let this situation devolve into a fight.

"You, Porlyusica, Laxus, and everyone else all talk about me and E.N.D. like we're two different people." Natsu cast his eyes to the side. "But we're not."

Lucy didn't respond, and Natsu was too afraid to look up and see her face. A slight wind picked up, ruffling the grass and cooling their sweat-covered bodies. The silence stretched on a second too long, and Natsu couldn't help but scoff as his own anger rose. The etherious stirred.

"It's not like I go somewhere else when E.N.D. takes control." Natsu spoke quickly. "I'm still there, but I'm not the same me – I mean he is me, but I'm… dammit! Why is this so hard to explain!"

Natsu suddenly shot to his feet, his face was hot and their might have been tears in his eyes.

"Do you get what I'm trying to say, Lucy?" His voice shook a little. "The only difference between me and that monster is the type of magic I use. It's wasn't just E.N.D. that attacked you yesterday… I was…"

He couldn't continue, the tightness in his throat was already making it hard to breath. Natsu did not cry easily, yet this was the second day in a row that he found himself reduced to tears by his own fears. He heard the grass rustling as Lucy also stood. She took a couple steps towards him, but did not touch him. The wind died down, leaving Natsu's heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"Then… how come you don't remember the times when… when you're not _you_?" Lucy asked tentatively. He couldn't see her face, but her tone was gentle and even – she really was trying to understand, despite Natsu's lack of eloquence.

Natsu tipped his head toward the sky, hoping the tears would drain back into his eyes. All it did was make things blurry.

"I don't know? I do unspeakable things, and my mind can't accept it, so I block them out, or something?" Natsu took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I get flashes of stuff, though, like from a nightmare sometimes. That's a thing, right?"

"P.T.S.D." Lucy stated. "That's the basic gist of it."

"That's why I couldn't tell you," Natsu said as he turned to her. "Not because I didn't think you couldn't help me – but because I was afraid you would hate me."

It only took a split second for Lucy to step forward and throw her arms around him, and for Natsu to do the same. Their skins were sticky and both were starting to smell funny, but Lucy held him tightly. She felt guilty – she should have known that if Natsu was keeping something from her, then he always had a damn good reason why.

"I could never hate you, no matter how hard you try," Lucy mumbled into his shoulder. "Don't you ever forget that."

She felt Natsu heave a sigh under her arms. Pulling back so she could look into Natsu's face, Lucy straightened a strand of hair.

"But we're in this together now," Lucy said. "No more keeping secrets, okay?"

Natsu closed his eyes and nodded. He knew that if they were going to spend the rest of their lives together, then they had to tell each other everything. Life was too short to be scared. It was a miracle that Natsu had Lucy, he thought as he opened his eyes. What would he do without her?

"How about we pick some berries from the patch, go take a shower, and relax the rest of the evening." Lucy smiled. "How's that sound?"

"Sounds awesome." Natsu grinned back at her.

Five minutes later, Natsu and Lucy finally headed inside after rooting around in the berry patch growing by the side of the house. Their fingers were stained purple, and Natsu's lips were also pink, since he couldn't help but eat a few. Carrying their handfuls of berries through the front door, Lucy tilted her head as a thought occurred to her.

"So if what you're saying is true," she thought out loud. "Doesn't that mean that I'm also marrying E.N.D.?"

Natsu jerked, almost dropping his berries. "Why the hell would you _say_ something like that?!"

* * *

A/N: Jeez, I'm sorry guys... I feel like this a very dry chapter with subpar writing. I'll come back later and edit this, try to give it more substance.

Please go and vote in the poll on my page! It's at a three-way tie right now and somebody is going to have to step up and break it!

Thanks again to everybody who's reviewed. If this story can reach 30 reviews, I'll post a double chapter! Even if it's just to tell me about something I messed up, all reviews are welcome!

ALSO, for those of you on tumblr, you can find me there as well under the same name (kemnam). Feel free to ask me questions about this story there! I sometimes post art, but I'm not very good~.

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	6. Anything That Can Go Wrong

"Jeez, Lucy," Natsu pouted as he examined his shoulder in the mirror. "You didn't have to go all 'Erza' on me. I think you might have bruised the bone!"

Natsu swore he could see the outline of the strap of Lucy's sandal in his skin, as well as her toes. It was a pretty nasty bruise, but they both knew that he had had much worse. Natsu winced as he tried to lift his arm as high as it would go. With how stiff it was after a night of sleeping on it, his poor arm would go no higher than perpendicular to his body. Lucy stepped out of the bathroom, fastening one of her earring to her lobe as she watched Natsu struggle.

"I thought bruises were manly," Lucy said with a smile. "So really, you should be thanking me."

Natsu hissed as he slipped his arm into the sleeve of his coat. Basically any movement involving the shoulder had his muscles throbbing painfully. This was going to be a fun day.

"No, _scars_ are manly," Natsu explained as he tossed his scarf around his neck with practiced ease. "Bruises are just bruises. If anything, this'll make _you_ seem more macho, since you were able to land a hit on me."

Lucy quirked an eyebrow, not sure how she felt about being labeled 'macho', but she supposed there were worse things to be called. Stepping up to Natsu, Lucy propped her elbow up on his shoulder, leaning on him like he was a table as he tightened the belt around his waist.

"With that kind of thinking, it's no wonder all you guys are covered in scars." Thinking back, it did seem like Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and most of the other men in Fairy Tail all had their fair share of scars. Even the males of Sabertooth were all scratched up. The same couldn't really be said for the women – except Lucy, of course. "Do boys think scars on girls are appealing?"

"It depends on the guy, really," Natsu replied. "Personally, I judge based on the story behind the scar."

"Seems like a pretty heavy double-standard if you ask me." Lucy puffed her cheek in irritation.

Natsu grinned at her as he took her hand and led her out of the bedroom, where Happy was waiting by the front door, rummaging through his little pack to make sure he had everything he needed.

"Don't worry, Lucy. You'll still be beautiful no matter how many scars you get." Natsu pecked a quick kiss to Lucy's cheek, which was hastily turning red.

"Except maybe if she got a big one on her face." Happy commented as he tied off his pack around his neck. "There's really no coming back from that."

"Wow, thanks Happy," Lucy said with a strained smile.

Just as Natsu was about to open the door, Lucy stopped him. Natsu gazed at her expectantly, waiting for her to speak. After their talk yesterday and with all that had happened, Lucy couldn't help but feel uncertain in regards to Natsu's safety, as well as her own. It had been hard to grasp the concept that Natsu and E.N.D. were one and the same, and not two different personalities like she had thought - that revelation had also opened up many more concerns for her. How would she be able to tell the difference between the two? Although, apparently, there wasn't really a difference...? But what kind of change did this impose on his magic? And was this going to be permanent? Questions like that made her head spin, and she had barely slept a wink last night. Natsu seemed to be taking everything in stride, like he always did – and as much as she wished she could, Lucy simply wasn't going to be able to do the same.

"Can you…still feel it?" She asked timidly. "Is it still there?"

Natsu sighed and put a hand to his chest. "It hasn't gotten better, but it also hasn't gotten worse. It's just like a slight tickle in my chest. Is it weird that I'm already starting to get used to it?"

Lucy frowned. "You haven't even used your magic yet. Who knows what might happen when you do?"

"Lucy, believe me," Natsu said as he looked her hard in the eye. "I know how bad this situation is. But there's nothing I can do about it right now, so we move on with our lives. As soon as we figure out what's going on and how to fix it, then we'll deal with it."

Lucy sighed, quelling the storm in her mind. "Okay. You're right. No use in fretting over it now."

"I still think it might be best if we try to avoid running into Gray today, though," Happy said.

"I agree with that," Lucy nodded. "He's bound to have some questions that we can't answer."

"Avoid talking to freezerburn all day?" Natsu smirked as he opened the door. "Sounds like a good day to me."

Unlike yesterday, the weather today was marred by a vicious wind that had their hair and clothing whipping around them. The sky was devoid of clouds, but a slight haze seemed to hang in the atmosphere, creating rings of rainbows around the sun. The three mages immediately recognized the signs. A storm was coming, and it was going to be a big one. They hurried to town, Lucy having to carry Happy so he wouldn't be swept away. When they reached the guild, Natsu quickly shut the doors behind them, relieved to finally not have the wind howling in his ears. Lucy started messing with her hair, trying to restore it back to decency without much success.

"Lucy! Natsu!"

The couple looked up at the sound of their names. Lucy beamed, throwing her arms wide just in time to catch Levy in an enormous hug as she threw herself at her friend. Spinning the smaller woman around in a circle as they laughed, Lucy set her down and held her at arms-length, over-joyed in seeing Levy's face again after what felt like a long time. Gajeel and Panther Lily stepped up to them as well, raising a hand in salutation as he and Natsu exchanged their customary – and significantly less intimate – greetings to each other.

Lucy had known about Levy's little crush on Gajeel long before the two of them officially became a couple. What Lucy hadn't known, and Levy had only told her about a year and a half ago, was that she and Gajeel had actually already been "casually dating" for some time before the war. Not to be classified in a romantic way, for sure – but they spent all their time together, and aside from kissing and all that entailed an involved romance, they had technically already been a couple. Now that they were officially together, it was easy to see just how much their relationship had effected each other.

Gajeel's hair was shorter – shorter than Levy's, but still longer than Natsu's. While it had lost him that wild look that he always prided, it did make him look older and leaner, and perhaps a touch fiercer. The day he had walked into the guild with his new haircut, everyone was surprised, to say the least. Most people noted on how thick his neck looked, now that it wasn't hidden by his hair. That only lasted about five minutes though, after he punched out the tenth person to make that comment. Levy, on the other hand, hadn't changed much over the years in regards to appearance. The only difference that the Solid-Script mage had made was the line of piercings on her ears, and one also on her left eyebrow. But it wasn't a choice of fashion – each stud and ring was made out of steel and iron, so that if Gajeel ever needed a power boost during a fight, she would give him her earrings to snack on and conserve her own magic at the same time. Lucy had to admit that that was actually really clever.

"I'm so glad you're back!" Lucy sang as she pulled Levy in for another hug.

"Feels good to be back!" Levy laughed. "The eastern region of Fiore is nothing but desert and dryness. I missed the trees and greenness of Magnolia."

"You catch all those bandits in the wastes?" Natsu cocked an eye at Gajeel. The other dragon slayer shrugged, rubbing the back of his head.

"Kind of. Turned out they were actually a bunch of vigilantes that were trying to save some endangered species of toad out there in the desert. They just had a backwards way of going about it." Gajeel smirked. "Levy and I set them straight."

"So does that mean you didn't get a reward?" Lucy asked Levy, a slight pout on her lips.

"Those guys weren't doing anything wrong, really," Levy scowled. "The person who issued the job just wanted them gone so he could go in and build some kind of 'desert spa' or whatever. Would have totally ruined the ecosystem."

"In the end, we actually ended up trashing most of their construction equipment, and eating the rest," Lily stated as he shared a wink with Gajeel and Levy. "Laxus might be getting a bill for that."

Natsu couldn't help but smile widely at that. "True Fairy Tail fashion, right there." He and Gajeel companionably bumped forearms.

Lucy and Levy sighed and shook their heads. The more things change, the more they stayed the same.

"What about you guys?" Levy asked Lucy. "Did you finish your job?"

Lucy flinched, quickly thinking up something to say. Natsu wisely kept silent. The fewer details, the better. "Yeah, we defeated the Leviathan. But we decided to give our reward money to somebody who needed it more than we did."

Levy smiled. "That's Fairy Tail fashion, too. Either way, we're all poor in the end."

While the group shared a laugh, Lucy took the chance to glance around the guild hall as they all walked over to sit at a table next to the bar. There was no sign of Gray or Juvia, but Wendy and Carla were there, and already seated at the table they were heading to. She was talking to Asuka and the purple-haired twins that she had befriended. Sonya and Byanka joined the guild about nine months ago. No one was sure where they came from – but it also wasn't the first time that Fairy Tail had taken in young orphans from the streets, so nobody asked. Their dual-natured Fortune magic matched their personalities perfectly. Just as everyone came to the table, the three little girls thanked Wendy and ran off giggling.

"What did you say to them?" Lucy asked as she sat down next to the young dragon slayer, Natsu sitting next to her and Happy jumping up on the table.

"I was settling an argument for them – whether to play princesses or explorers. I suggested both!" Wendy beamed as she watched the children run around the guild hall. "I wonder if this is what it feels like to be a big sister."

"They must certainly look up to you as one if they're coming to you for things like that." Lucy smiled as she bumped Wendy with her shoulder. It only seemed like yesterday when Lucy was the one helping Wendy in a sisterly kind of way. Now she was all grown up, and doing her part to foster the next generation of Fairy Tail. Lucy couldn't be prouder.

"Where are Freed and Mirajane?" Lily asked, noticing that neither of the barkeeps were at their expected stations.

"They've been back in Laxus' office all morning," Carla replied, casting her gaze over her shoulder to the shut door. "I thought I heard something about Sabertooth."

"Not those guys again." Gajeel leaned back with a scowl, draping his arm along the bench behind Levy. "What did they do this time?"

"I haven't the faintest," Carla sighed with a shrug. "If we're lucky, then perhaps the master will tell us."

"With Sting, it could be anything!" Natsu said with a mirthful smile.

The topic of conversation devolved into friendlier subjects from there. The wind outside was howling so loudly it could be heard through the wooden walls of the guild. Every time a member came through the doors, gusts of it would sneak inside and scatter throughout the hall, chilling the atmosphere and making the job requests on the board flutter. The guild was quiet, and many of the members present seemed like they were still trying to wake up – although it was already late in the morning. But the mood of the guild took a significant turn as Kinana finally showed up slightly before noon and stepped up as bartender while Mirajane and Freed were busy. With food and drink now available to them, the members regained their lively spirits once more.

Levy, Wendy, and Lucy had been in the middle of and extensively long talk about the wedding ceremony when the door burst open, sending another wave of chilling wind through the room. Lucy briefly glanced over her shoulder to see who it was before turning back to Levy – then nearly jumped out of her skin with terror as she spun back around to fully take in the sight of Gray and Juvia shaking themselves from the wind. It took less than two seconds for Gray's dark eyes to home in on their location.

With an involuntary squeak that Lucy would be embarrassed about later, she quickly grabbed Natsu's arm. Her fiancé had been too engrossed in a conversation with Gajeel, Lily, and Happy to notice her distress. He definitely realized something was up when her tugging wrenched his bruised shoulder painfully, causing him to yelp and almost slam his head into the table as Lucy pulled him beneath it. A second later, her hand snaked back up, grabbed Happy by the tail, and pulled him down as well. Happy screeched at the rough tug, but Lucy quickly placed a hand over his muzzle. The rest of the table's occupants were too stunned by the sudden, odd disappearance of their friends to react.

"Is something wrong, Lucy?" Natsu asked in a tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Gray's here!" Lucy hissed in a whisper. "I think he saw us!"

"So what? It's not like he doesn't come here every day," Natsu mumbled as he and Happy unwittingly followed Lucy as she crawled away on her hands and knees towards the other end of the long table, being careful in the forest of legs.

"You're supposed to be avoiding him, remember?" Lucy snapped. "We can't afford to have a pissed-off devil slayer on our hands!"

"If we really wanted to avoid Gray, we should have just stayed home." Natsu cast a side-long look to Happy. "At least then I can keep my dignity. Besides, I doubt Gray even remembers what happened yesterday."

Before Lucy could respond, there was a soft knock on the table above them. The person standing at the end of the table crouched down, peering in at them.

"Natsu," Gray spoke evenly. "We need to talk."

Gray allowed them to sheepishly crawl out from under the table before he continued. Juvia was standing off to the side. Neither of them looked angry, but they also didn't look thrilled.

"It's about yesterday." Gray's chin was tilted down in suspicion. "I have a couple questions for you."

Natsu responded before Lucy could think of anything to say.

"For the last time, Gray." Natsu scowled. "I'm not asking you to be my best man."

Gray gapped at Natsu's bluntness as Juvia put a hand to her mouth. Lucy had to admit that that probably stung a little.

"What? No! This isn't about that!" The Ice-Make wizard sputtered. "Listen, I could barely sleep last night, so I'm just gonna come out and say it – my devil slayer magic reawakened because of you. Do you have any idea why?"

"No," Natsu replied, but it seemed like Gray's magic wasn't the only one acting strange. He could feel his etherious pressing against his heart, with more force than usual. He tried to ignore it. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me Natsu!" Gray stepped forward into Natsu's personal space. Happy and Lucy watched, desperately hoping they would somehow avoid an incident today. Juvia was silent and expressionless. Another gust of wind from the door opening washed over them, and Gray backed off, displaying an uncommon level of maturity.

"Look, I'm not trying to start anything," Gray said sincerely, crossing his arms. "I've just had a bad feeling ever since yesterday. I can't quite explain it, but it feels like something is about to happen… something big, and I have no doubt it's going to involve everyone. I just wanted to clear the air, maybe figure out what was going on before–what are you looking at? You should look at me when I'm talking to you, Natsu. And what's with that face?"

"Hello, boys."

Gray nearly jumped out of what little remained of his wardrobe. His face immediately settled into the strained, horrified smile that was mirrored on Natsu's face. Spinning around, Gray and Natsu stepped back as Erza stepped forward, smiling gently at them with her hands on her hips.

"Erza!" Squeaked Natsu and Gray simultaneously. "Didn't hear you come in!"

Erza chuckled at the two. "Really now, when are you two going to stop being scared of me? We're all S-class wizards now, which means we're equals."

"Hey Erza," Lucy piped up, welcoming the interruption. "How did your job go?"

Erza turned to the younger woman, a smirk in her lips. "Piece of cake, if I do say so myself."

Like Laxus, Erza had also befallen victim to premature greyness, the silver being much more prominent in her scarlet locks. The color change only took place around her temples and the sides of her head, however, and was only really noticeable when she tied her hair up. Despite the look of frailty this seemed to give her, Erza was still good ol' Erza – kicking ass left and right with enough time to spare for her friends. The only other sign that time had gone by was her routine change of armor. Instead of wearing one big metal plate, Erza now wore smaller pieces all bound together within a black leather cast. Although this armor left her open to more damage, it was freeing and light. The metal plates were colored a dark silver, her traditional crusaders cross etched along the plate that covered her stomach in black steel.

"You were interrupting an important conversation between Gray and Natsu, Erza," Juvia stated bluntly. Lucy sneered at her – why couldn't she just let it go?

"Is that so?" Erza puckered her lips in thought as she looked the two men up and down. Both of them gulped under her assuming gaze. "Did you finally ask him to be your best man, Natsu? If so, tell him to shave that marmot off his face for the ceremony."

Both the dragon slayer and Ice-Make wizard gawked at Erza, each of them feeling two different kinds of offense.

"That's not what we were talking about!" Gray exploded first. "And if you've got something to say about my facial hair then say it to my face!"

"I will never ask this _pervert_ to be my best man, and that's final!" Natsu suddenly rounded on Gray. "And no one likes your stupid beard!"

"I like it." Juvia interjected with a raise of her hand.

"You're just jealous because I can actually _grow one_!" Gray spat.

"Enough, you two," Erza growled as her hands shot up to grab both of their heads and smash them together like coconuts. Natsu and Gray reeled from the unexpected impact to their faces. Lucy, Juvia, and Happy couldn't help but sigh at the oh-so familiar scene.

"And that's why they're still scared of her," Lucy mumbled, Juvia and Happy nodding in agreement.

The mood of the guild suddenly changed as the door to the Master's office opened, Laxus, Mirajane, and Freed stepping out. Their expression were grim, making everyone stop and stand up as they realized that Laxus was going to be making an announcement. Mira stayed behind as Freed and the Master stood in front of the stage, waiting for everyone to quiet down and provide him with their undivided attention. It didn't take long – Laxus had a demanding presence and everyone knew he didn't like having his time wasted.

"I've got some bad news," Laxus spoke loudly after he felt they were all listening. "Last night, just after sunset, Sabertooth was attacked."

The Master allowed the guild members to mumble among themselves as they all took in the news. Natsu, Happy, and Lucy shared a nervous look. Who on earthland would be so bold to attack Sabertooth? Had another demon awakened? Were they all okay? The guild went silent again as Freed called out for everyone to be quiet.

"There weren't any casualties," Laxus reported as he crossed his arms. "But they did sustain some heavy damage and many of their members were severely injured. Their own city is taking good care of them. Now, I'm sure you're all wondering how this could have happened. Given some… _recent_ events, I can't help but feel like I should have seen this coming."

Natsu instantly reached out for Lucy's hand as a spike of fear drove though his chest and thoughts raced through his head. He had to be talking about the Leviathan and Natsu's etherious, just had to be. So it _was_ another demon.

"There's been a dark guild on the rise for some time now. I'm sure some of you have probably heard the rumors." Laxus huffed a sigh through his nose. "That guild is Ruby Manticore. It's the only known co-op wizard _and_ mercenary guild in Fiore. They've been low profile from the start – but for some reason, they decided to take the offensive. It's not a very big guild, so the fact that they had the gall to attack one of the strongest guilds in Fiore should speak for their own abilities."

More mumbles rose from the members of the guild as they turned to each other and asked if they knew anything about Ruby Manticore. Indeed, some members had heard strange tales of the dark guild that was starting to gain a presence in the underground. Natsu, Lucy, and Happy were just relieved that it didn't turn out to be a demon. The feeling of apprehension towards this strange - and apparently _powerful_ \- new enemy hung thick in the air. Laxus watched everyone with calculated eyes.

"With that said, since Sabertooth is our ally, we simply can't sit back with our thumbs up our butts and let Ruby Manticore do whatever they please." Laxus' tone became darker. "If their actions go unpunished, they might get it in their heads to attack another guild – and I don't want to take that chance of it being us. Therefore, on behalf of Sabertooth and all our other allied guilds, we are going to lay low the bastards that would dare think that they could harm our friends and not have hell to pay for it!"

The members of Fairy Tail roared their agreement. When you waged war with one guild, you waged war with them all.

"They might have been able to get the jump on those pansies at Sabertooth, but these cowards are nothing compared to us!" Laxus cast his eyes around the room, his confidence and compassion was contagious. "So I'm sending our team of highly skilled wizards to take Ruby Manticore by surprise, and destroy them in one fell swoop. That'll put those dark guild wannabe's in their place. You know who you are, and you'll be representing the wrath of Fairy Tail and all our friends who have been affected by their actions. I know you won't let us down. If anybody wants to volunteer to join them, come talk to me. That is all!"

Everyone knew exactly who he was talking about – Fairy Tail's star team, and most powerful mages. Lucy and Natsu shared knowing gazes with Gray, Juvia, and Erza. Gajeel and Wendy also stood from their seats with nods of acknowledgment towards Laxus. Gray turned his head toward Natsu, a slight frown on his face. He had been right – something big was happening. Bigger than they probably realized.

"I'm not done with you yet, Natsu." He spoke softly in the quiet atmosphere so only Natsu, Lucy, and Happy could hear him. "I'll get to the bottom of this."

* * *

A/N: Alright! Everybody's here which means it's time to get the ball rolling! I know this might open up a lot more questions, but I promise things will start falling into place eventually.

Thank you to those of you who voted on the poll! Do you like interactive stuff like that? I was thinking I would do more of those in the future.

Please let me know what you think of this chapter, even if it's just to tell me that it could be better (which I know, believe me). If this reaches 30 reviews, I'll post a double chapter - we're so close!

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	7. When It Rains

_"What the hell do you mean I'm not going?!"_

"Stop shouting, you idiot," Laxus grumbled, sticking a pinkie in his ear. "You're gonna give me a headache."

"You can't be serious!" Natsu slammed his hands against Laxus' desk. "Nobody's better at taking down dark guilds than me! Or did you forget about Eisenwald, Oración Seis, Grimoire Heart, Tartaros, and Avatar?! That was all me!"

"We were there, too, you know." Lucy and Happy mumbled.

The five of them – Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Laxus, and Freed – were crammed in his office. Laxus had summoned Natsu to see him immediately after he had made his announcement, officially halting Gray's confrontation with the dragon slayer. Lucy and Happy had followed him, a feeling in her stomach that they might have to be there in case Laxus said something that Natsu didn't want to hear – which turned out to be exactly the case.

"You were able to use your magic back then, Natsu," Freed said with a frown. He had been filled in on the situation with Natsu out of necessity. "Putting you in a situation where you would be forced to in your condition is out of the question. We can't have you putting innocent lives at risk if you lose control."

Natsu clenched his jaw so hard, Lucy could hear his teeth grinding together. "If you really think that I would let something like that happen…"

"It's happened before, Natsu. Or did you forget?" Laxus showed no mercy. "You almost killed Lucy. If even she isn't safe from E.N.D., then no one is."

Lucy stepped up beside Natsu, her anger flaring at Laxus' words. "But he didn't kill me! In fact, he saved my life, as well as Happy's life and a civilian's life."

"We don't even know for sure if it'll happen again," Happy piped up. "There's no demon involved this time. It was the Leviathan that was causing all the problems last time."

Natsu smiled at Happy and Lucy, touched by them coming to his defense. But Laxus shook his head.

"Look, I know you want retribution for Sabertooth," Laxus' tone was steady. "We all do. But it's clear to see that there's something not quite right with these Manticore guys – they've been a bottom-feeding guild for years, but suddenly they have members that are strong enough to hold up to Sting and Rogue? That's just strange. I don't know if it has anything to do with Zeref or his demons, and there's a good chance it doesn't. But for now, I want you to stay away from any situations that are less than transparent. For the time being."

"I'm tired of sitting on my ass." Natsu scowled. "At some point, I'm going to have to use my magic, and we're going to have to deal what was does or doesn't happen. Would you rather I do that here in Magnolia, or in a dark guild's hall?"

Freed and Laxus exchanged looks. He did have a point; Natsu without his magic was a terrible inconvenience, and they couldn't keep putting off the problem. While the dragon slayer wasn't vital to this mission, he was an asset. But with Natsu's current predicament, it came down to weighing the risks of two very unfavorable outcomes – Ruby Manticore seeking vengeance if the mission failed, or E.N.D. being released on the world once more. One seemed more likely than the other, thus the final decision.

"We will address your issue soon, Natsu. I promise." Laxus sighed. He seemed very tired. "Porlyusica is working on something right now. But we can't wait till she's finished. Our team heads out tomorrow. As much of a pain I know this is for you, you will not be going with them. That's final."

Natsu was silent, trembling with rage and his teeth bared in a snarl. Lucy reached up a hand, but before she could touch him, Natsu spun and kicked one of the chairs placed in front of Laxus' desk. The seat slid across the floor and slammed into the wall, shattering apart at the joints. With that, he stormed out of the office, leaving everyone with an uneasy feeling of guilt. Laxus sighed once more as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Just when I think things couldn't get any more complicated."

"You mustn't blame yourself, Master," Freed consoled. "You know this is hard for him. We can't possibly imagine what he's going through."

"I know, I know." Laxus looked up over his knuckles at Lucy and Happy. "But you probably do, right? You we're there, three years ago. You're probably as upset about this as he is."

Lucy huffed through her nose. "It bothers him more than he lets on. I think he would have loved this opportunity to prove that he's not the demon we all seem to think he is. I also don't think he likes the idea of me going on a mission without him."

"I'm worried about Natsu." Laxus said after a moment of silence. "But he won't listen to me. Do you think you could talk to him?"

Lucy gazed at the Master, thoughts drifting in her eyes. "I understand where your decision is coming from, but I don't fully agree with it. You fear E.N.D. more than you trust Natsu, and you shouldn't. You know Natsu would never hurt anybody. But…yes, I will talk to him."

"Thank you." The relief in Laxus' words was astounding. "If it helps, tell him that Elfman and Alzac have volunteered to help you guys. Maybe that'll set him at ease."

"Aye, we'll tell him," Happy said as he and Lucy turned to go.

As they exited Laxus' office, Lucy saw no sign of her fiancé. She knew he liked to be alone when he was upset, so there was a good chance that he had left the guild. Knowing from experience, it was best to let him blow off steam for now and keep her distance. In the meantime, Lucy and Happy spotted the team for the mission, plus Elfman and Alzac gathered together. Members of the guild who knew anything about Ruby Manticore came forward with information regarding their whereabouts, guild size, and other bits of information that had been picked up. Most of it was based on rumors, but it was all they had for now. Levy had already dug through the Fairy Tail library in the basement and was pouring over them with Wendy's and Juvia's assistance. Gray, Gajeel, and Erza had a map spread out on the table, talking over it and asking each other questions.

Lucy frowned sadly at the sight, thinking that Natsu had every right to be here with them. It was unfair that all this was happening at once, and the stress over the past couple of days was starting to take its toll. Why did it always seem that when times got bad, they got _really_ bad?

"He's gonna be okay, Lucy," Happy said from her side. Lucy looked down at the little blue cat, who was smiling up at her. "He's Natsu, after all."

Lucy smiled back. Nodding at Happy, they made their way over to join the debriefing party. She needed to take her own advice, and believe in Natsu. After all, he always bounced back with that grin on his face and ready for the next fight. It was just who he was.

* * *

Natsu was not usually the type of person to hold grudges. He challenged people to rematches, but that was mostly all in good fun. He was a passionate man, but he lived by the old saying of "forgive and forget". There had been one or two notable exceptions to that over the years, but Natsu could basically count the number of real enemies he had on one hand. He was not an angry person, usually saw the silver-linings in life, understood that things didn't always go his way, and accepted the things he couldn't change.

But not this time.

Natsu kicked a stone roughly as he stomped through the streets of Magnolia. Hands shoved deep into his pockets, Natsu's thoughts replayed Laxus' and Freed's words over and over in his head as his feet carried him to no particular destination. The howling wind had driven the people from the sidewalks, leaving the dragon slayer alone with his worries. As his hair whipped into his face, Natsu cast his head down, darkening his face to match his thoughts. His jaw worked a steady rhythm back and forth, and he knew it would probably ache later, but he really didn't care.

However, he most definitely _did_ care about being left out of a mission because of something like this. How the hell did Laxus expect him to just sit idly by as his fiancé was sent to deal with a powerful dark guild? Lucy was strong, and he knew she would have great back up, but none of that was enough to make Natsu comfortable with this at all. If anything ever happened to her… Natsu huffed a sigh through his nose, warm air collecting in front of his face before it was snatched away by the wind.

What really ground his gears was that Laxus and Freed didn't think he could use his magic without losing control, and that he was basically useless without it. Natsu could admit that about 90% of his destructive power came from his magic – but this wasn't Edolas and he wasn't a kid anymore. His muscles weren't just for show, and he knew he could still defend his friends and do a significant amount of damage if he was just plain old Natsu for once. Natsu was more than just his magic, so it was infuriating to be brought low by such thoughts and fears. He understood the uncertainty that Laxus was feeling in regards to the etherious – he could feel it knocking on the glass even now – but when push came to shove, were they just going to toss him in a corner? Experience had taught him that the only way anybody could know anything for sure was by doing.

Natsu stopped in his tracks as a thought occurred to him. His scarf fluttered around him in the wind, snapping and twisting like a snake.

He could do it, Natsu thought. He could give his magic a test right now, and finally answer the question as to what would happen. Then he could prove to Laxus that he was more than capable of carrying out this mission. It was time for him to take matters into his own hands. But the more Natsu mulled over the idea, the more he began to doubt. What if something _did_ happen? Would he be able to stop if things started going wrong? How would he know if-

"Screw this," Natsu cursed, forcing himself to stop thinking as he took off at a jog. He needed to be alone when he did this, regardless of the outcome, and Natsu knew the perfect little isolated spot.

It only took about ten minutes to run up to the large lake to the west of Magnolia – the very same lake that fed the canal running through the heart of the city. One side of the lake carved into the Lilac Forest, where the banks were crowded with trees. The other side was nearly treeless, and had small shores of fine sand. It was here that Natsu decided would be a good place to test his magic. From here he could see the thunderheads rolling in over the mountains. The storm would probably be upon them by nightfall. Plenty of time.

Natsu took a deep breath. Admittedly, he was feeling a little anxious, and that anxiety seemed to be feeding the black magic. It was pulsing with his heart, like it knew what Natsu intended to do and was getting ready – or maybe that was just in his head. Either way, he wasn't turning back now.

The fire burning in his torso reacted to his summon, flaring brighter at the source in his stomach. Familiar strength flooded into Natsu's limbs – and the glass separating the fire from the etherious, although cracked, remained intact. Lifting a hand, Natsu spread his fingers and held his breath. Sparks leapt across his palm moments before a fire sprang to life, flames dancing between his fingers with absolutely no hint of black. Natsu paused, consciously noting how he felt. The flow of magic was steady and strong, and although the etherious behind Natsu's heart had started thrumming, it was still contained.

He felt fine.

Natsu's face busted out in a wide smile, the relief he felt betraying just exactly how worried he'd been.

"Alright," Natsu whispered as he licked his lips. "Time to see what I can do."

Pulling his hand back, the small flame in Natsu's palm expanded into a full bonfire as he poured more magic into it. Clenching his fist, Natsu thrust it forward, throwing the fireball out over the surface of the lake. The roaring flames carried themselves a hundred feet over the water before dissipating. Spinning on one heel, Natsu squared off with an unfortunate tree that had decided to grow within Natsu's vicinity.

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"

The wood of the trunk charred and crumbled beneath Natsu's fist. The only thing he felt was a sharp complaint from his bruised shoulder. Now sporting a sizeable divet in its trunk, the tree cracked and splintered, toppling to the ground loudly. Small tongues of fire licked at the wood, flickering turbulently in the wind. Turning away from the felled tree, Natsu inhaled deeply, expanding his lungs to maximum capacity. As the fire within him concentrated in his chest, the etherious shuddered.

"Fire Dragon Roar!"

The pillar of fire climbed high into the sky from Natsu's wide mouth. Had the spell been directed at someone or something, it would have been an incredibly powerful attack that left no trace of its target. For a moment, the wind in Natsu's area was quelled by the sudden rise in air pressure. When all of the air and magic was expelled from his lungs, Natsu gasped in another breath. Bracing his hands against his knees, Natsu huffed as the wind resumed howling around him. The fire within receded back to his torso, slightly depleted from use but still blazing. Natsu held still, waiting for something to happen – for the etherious to surge to life like it had when the Leviathan attacked.

Seconds passed, and nothing changed. The metaphorical sheet of glass that kept the black magic at bay held, even when Natsu's fire withdrew.

"Oh yeah," Natsu chuckled as he stood up straight. "Take that, Laxus."

Then the glass broke.

* * *

Lucy cradled her mug of tea as she sat alone at the kitchen table. The herbal scent drifted up to her nose and the warmth of the cup was soothing… but she had barely taken more than a sip of it, a deep-seated worry sitting heavy in her chest.

When she and Happy had finally come home, they were met with a letter from Master Bob of Blue Pegasus saying that they would love to make Natsu's suit for the wedding, and that he could come in for a fitting whenever he was ready. The paper was scented with tulips, and sealed with a kiss. The groom in question, however, had not been home. The storm had been almost directly overhead, the intimidating grey clouds darkening the day. That had been almost two hours ago, and now it was raining violently. Debating on what she should do, Lucy and Happy had opted to wait and see if he got home in one piece. But as the thunder rattled the windows on the house, they were beginning to regret not going out and looking for him.

The mission debriefing had ended on a somewhat less than satisfactory note. Since all they had to go off of was rumors and some vague official records Levy had found in the Library, they had been able to triangulate a position for what they _hoped_ was the Ruby Manticore headquarters, and not just one of the outposts that were said to be all over Fiore. The trip out to the spot – located somewhere within the Juniper Hills in the south west region of the country – would take about a day, and from there it was difficult to say exactly what they were going to do next. Five hours of research and planning, and the best they could do was wing it. Didn't really inspire a lot of confidence, but Erza was hopeful.

Gray had approached Lucy, like she knew he would. Showing a bit more care with her than he had with Natsu, it was conveyed to Lucy that Gray was simply concerned, and that he really wasn't trying to accuse Natsu or Lucy of anything. Lucy, though she understood where he was coming from, had pretty much begged Gray to wait, promising that she would provide an explanation when she could. Obviously, the Ice-Make mage was unsatisfied with that answer, but he trusted Lucy, so he and Juvia parted ways with her as they all headed home. Lucy and Happy agreed that it was necessary to keep Gray in the dark for now, although they both admitted that that wasn't really fair. It was a complicated situation, and they all just wanted it to get fixed. Soon.

"I'm sure he'll be okay," Happy called down from his nest in the tree, stirring Lucy from her thoughts. "He probably fell asleep somewhere."

Lucy smiled at the cat. "I'd be very impressed and a little concerned if he was able to sleep through this… but I just can't shake the feeling that something must have happened."

"Aye, me too," Happy sighed. He turned to look out the window. "I won't be able to fly in this storm… otherwise I'd be out there looking for him."

Lucy nodded, took a deep breath, and stood from her seat with her mug left untouched.

"Alright, I guess I'll just have to go out there and find him." Lucy was already zipping up one of her boots as she spoke.

"Do you even know where to start?"

"Not really, but I'll start at the guild. It'll pretty much be guess and check from there." Lucy shrugged. "He couldn't have gone far, otherwise he'd tell us, right?"

Happy frowned, but didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Lucy zipped up the only rain jacket that she had and headed for the front door, giving a salute to Happy.

"Alright, wish me luck!" Lucy put her hood up. "If I'm not back in an hour, remember I want pink roses at my funeral."

Lucy reached for the handle.

The door flew open suddenly, gusts of wind and rain bursting into the house. Lucy jumped back, startled. As she peered through the rain and darkness, her worry quickly turned to relief.

"Where the hell have you been?" Lucy stepped back as Natsu trudged into the house, dripping wet. Lucy closed the door behind him then turned to face him. He hadn't answered. "Well?"

Then she noticed the holes in his clothes, edged with black, charred cloth. Lucy and Happy shared a look or horror. He had used his magic.

"Natsu," Lucy spoke slowly and quietly. "What happened?"

Natsu didn't respond. His clothes and head were soaked with rain, and he seemed to be shivering just the slightest. His head was tilted down, face hidden in the shadow of his hair. Lucy stepped in front of him, bending over a little to make him look at her. That worried feeling was coming back in full force. Natsu finally met her eyes, and his mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. But they were his eyes, not E.N.D.'s. Lucy raised an eyebrow at him, not sure what to make of this silence. His expression was hard to read – almost fear, but also joy.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked again, tone soft. Stepping up to him, Lucy gently laid a hand on his wet shoulder.

Again, Natsu didn't respond. He continued to stare at her, unblinking. Just as Lucy was about to ask once more, he leaned in quickly and kissed her. Though his lips were wet and cold, his breath was warm. Tenderly, Natsu wrapped his arms around her, deepening the kiss. Lucy, though confused, followed the gesture as he pulled back and kissed her again. When her hands splayed across his back, she noticed how tense his muscles were. For a few moments, Natsu and Lucy stayed in their own world as a puddle began to form on the floor. When Lucy finally broke away from him and looked into his face, she was surprised with what she saw. Natsu stared back at her. He seemed sad now, eyebrows arched up and a small frown on his lips. Lucy's heart sank.

Natsu finally spoke. "I have to tell you something."

* * *

A/N: So... the last chapter must have been worse than I thought, due to the significant lack or reviews. Thank you to the couple people who did. Hopefully this one makes up for that.

I really hate to beg for reviews, but they really do help me write. Even if they're just to tell me about something I might have messed up. This chapter didn't get edited so I'll make sure to come back and do that later.

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	8. What Doesn't Kill You

The storm that night was loud, violent, and terrifying. Many people did not get much sleep that night, since it was almost nigh impossible with the howling wind and the pounding rain that turned into hail sometime around midnight. Lightning and thunder were abundant, giving sight and voice to the storm. It also brought with it a chill that seeped through the walls with curling fingers. The trees outside twisted and bended, creaking as their foundations were pushed to the limits. For some trees it proved to be too much. The world had turned angry, taking shape and coming to life from the rage of the storm. The most anybody could do was try to block out the sounds and sights that seemed to come straight out of a nightmare.

Luckily, the tree that grew through Natsu and Lucy's house was very old. It would take more than a storm to bring it down. Although, that didn't stop Happy from abandoning his perch and crawling in bed with the two of them. He was curled up by Natsu's hip, no doubt trying to leech some warmth from the dragon slayer. He didn't mind – it wasn't as if Natsu was cold, and he couldn't sleep anyway. But it wasn't the storm that was keeping him awake.

It still scared him, what had happened out by the lake.

When the glass broke, it had felt like he had gotten punched through his chest, a muscle spasm in his neck snapping his head sharply to the left. The etherious wasted no time seeping through the cracked glass, filling up the empty space his fire had left behind. Falling to his knees, the air rushed out of his lungs and refused to come back in. Natsu couldn't breathe, could barely think – only tremble in fear as the curse flooded him, causing his muscles to seize. As it tore through his body, he could feel the black magic encompassing his mind like a blanket. The malicious and destructive nature of the etherious crashed against Natsu's conscious, battering him until he was nothing but basic, uncontrollable instinct. Small wayward tongues of black flame rose on his knuckles. His mouth was open wide in a silent scream, body tight with pain and fear.

It had been sheer dumb luck that Natsu had remembered the tree.

The wood was still burning from where he had attacked it with his flaming fist, but the wind was quickly extinguishing the flames. At the time, he had no idea if it was going to work, but he had to so _something_. Mere moments before the etherious would have overcome him, Natsu had scrambled toward the fire. Keeping his head low to shield it from the wind, he quickly consumed the dying flames. It was a messy ordeal that burned his lips and tongue, but the small bits of heat were enough to jumpstart the fire in Natsu's belly. But as the flame roared higher, the etherious didn't back down. A magical war suddenly raged within Natsu's body. He slumped down on his heels, gagging and gasping as the fire battled the etherious for dominance in his heart. Black and orange flames danced sporadically over his body, completely out of his control. It was too much – too much power altogether for his flesh to contain. Both the fire and the curse were tearing him apart from the inside out. He was going to explode.

Natsu's head tilted to the sky, to the rolling thunderclouds that were almost directly above him. He could feel the buildup of energy at his core, and he was helpless to do anything but sit there gasping for air, waiting for the inevitable implosion. He thought he was going to die. Something gave away in his chest just as a bright light filled his vision. Natsu was finally able to scream as the light cut out and darkness took him.

The next thing he knew, cool raindrops were hitting his face. Natsu jolted awake, jerking into an upright position as he took in multiple lungfuls of air. A ragged cough shook his body, which was sore and stiff. His heart pounded deafeningly in his ears. It took a couple minutes for him to calm down and even his breathing once more. Then he looked up.

The land around him had been completely scorched, all plant life burned away and the fallen tree no more than a husk of black wood. The destruction spanned a hundred-foot diameter, with Natsu at the center. He seemed to be unharmed, save for a few holes burned into his jacket and pants. The rain had begun coming down heavier, and he could hear thunder in the distance. Not giving himself time to worry over what had happened and how he had survived, Natsu had stumbled to his feet and run for his life.

Now, as he laid awake in bed puzzling it over, Natsu realized what a miracle it was that he was still alive. Magical overload was a serious matter – many wizards died from taking in too much power. But somehow, he had managed to come away from the whole ordeal unscathed. Actually, it almost seemed like his magic had been _reset_. The etherious was back behind the cracked glass with Natsu's fire keeping it contained, as if they entire thing hadn't happened. There was no plausible way to explain how that could have happened, and Natsu wasn't sure if he was more worried or relieved. But one thing he had learned was that Natsu needed to keep his fire burning at full strength in order to stave off the etherious. If he used his magic even a little bit, it was all over…

He really was useless.

Natsu turned his head, staring at Lucy's back as she rested uneasily. When he had recounted these events to her, she had taken it all in with a remarkably calm attitude. He could barely look her in the eye as he told his story. "Ashamed" was an understatement for how he was feeling. Had he known that something like that was going to happen, he would have never attempted it. He had been an idiot to think that he could use his magic without consequence when he had already experienced the nature of the etherious twice before. Natsu was just thankful that he had had the common sense to isolate himself.

Lucy had simply took his hand, leaned in close to him, and told him how much she appreciated that he hadn't kept this a secret from her. It was extremely reckless of him, she had to admit, but she probably would have done the same thing in his position. Lucy smiled at him, surprising him with her understanding. Now they knew, she had said, and though he had managed to pull through by the skin of his teeth, it was probably best if he didn't do it again anytime soon. Natsu could only agree with a chuckle, pulling her in close for a deep hug. Only then did Lucy start to silently weep, shaken by the knowledge that she had almost lost him.

Natsu comforted her as they sat on the sofa in their living room. Happy had been silent the entire time Natsu was talking. But when Lucy had started crying, Natsu looked over her shoulder to see tears in his eyes as well. However, instead of seeking consolation with Natsu and Lucy, the blue exceed simply sat alone with his gaze far off in the distance. They stayed like that till Lucy had cried herself to sleep in his arms, at which point he carried her to bed. Happy followed them – he hadn't said anything, but apparently he didn't want to be alone. As they all lay together in bed, the storm raged on, mirroring Natsu's thoughts.

Natsu rolled toward Lucy, Happy stirring slightly to make room. Moving closer to her, Natsu pressed his mouth into her hair, one arm curving over her hip. Lucy shifted at the touch, one of her hands instinctively finding his. Natsu took a deep breath and relished the scent of his fiancé. He really had gotten lucky with her – there probably wasn't another person alive who could handle all the crap that she had and still be able to smile. It didn't escape Natsu that his life was pretty strange, and he usually dragged Lucy into a lot of tense situations by accident. In her own amazing way, Lucy always pulled through. She was the unstoppable force behind Natsu's drive. He only hoped he could out weight the bad memories with lots of good ones in due time.

A few hours before dawn, Natsu finally fell asleep from exhaustion. The storm also broke at that point, and the light of the morning sun was delayed by the thick clouds that lingered in the sky. With the prolonged darkness, life was put on hold for a little while. Waking up was a slow, extenuating process. When Natsu had finally managed to pull himself from the clutches of sleep, he was alone in his bed. The world outside was grey and bland, like the storm had washed away the color of everything. Natsu groggily padded his way toward the kitchen, where Lucy was already seated at the kitchen table next to the window, hair tied up in a loose bun and wearing her largest, comfiest sweater. She was looking out into the grey world, sucking on one finger like she always did when she was thinking.

"Morning, Luce," Natsu mumbled. "Where's Happy?"

Lucy looked up at him, pulling her sleeves over her hands and tucking them into her armpits. She was still cold.

"Outside picking berries. I guess since we already had our share, he's laid claim to all the rest." Lucy stared at Natsu as he slouched, hands rubbing at his eyes. "Did you sleep last night?"

Natsu sighed, wishing he was still back in bed. Crossing his arms on the table, Natsu rested his chin on them like a pillow as he stifled a yawn. "Not really. I'm surprised you did, what with all that racket going on outside."

"I hadn't been sleeping well the last couple of nights." Lucy bit her lip. "I guess it finally caught up with me."

Natsu blinked at Lucy. She did seem rather tired, now that he was looking for the signs; the slight bags under her eyes, the messy curl of her hair. Natsu reached a hand across the table towards her, palm up in his own form of a silent apology, knowing that she had been worrying about him. Lucy barely hesitated before she loosely tangled her fingers in his. Her hands were chilly. Natsu would have gladly warmed her with his fire, but he was afraid to use his magic now. How pathetic, that he couldn't even use his magic for something so small because he feared what it might unleash.

They sat in silence for a while, the grey light outside steadily getting brighter. Natsu almost fell asleep right there at the table, eyelids too heavy to keep open. Inhaling sharply, Natsu blinked his eyes open. Whipping at them with his thumb, Natsu moaned and looked up at Lucy. She hadn't taken her eyes off of him, a small smile on her lips.

"You look cute when you sleep."

Natsu smiled and shook his head. "Creeper." Sitting up straight, Natsu stretched his arms, ignoring the ache in his shoulder. Standing up, the dragon slayer turned to his cabinet of food. "Coffee?"

"Coffee." Lucy agreed.

Happy had wondered back inside the second after Natsu poured out their coffee. Milk for him, sugar and cream for Lucy. When he saw the blue exceed jump onto the table, he procured another glass strictly for milk.

"Hey Happy," Natsu greeted as he carried the cups back to the table. He chuckled at the sight of his friend licking his paws, both of them as well as his lips deeply stained purple. "You enjoy those berries?"

"I wouldn't compare it to a fresh fish," Happy said as he smacked his chops. "But man, were they tasty. That was a good idea, Lucy."

Lucy smiled as she took a hearty sip of her coffee. Natsu had learned to love the taste of coffee, although the supposed energy-boosting effects had never worked on him. Honestly, he was more of a tea and honey kind of guy. But if Lucy drank coffee, then so did he – and he did have to admit that it was easier to prepare.

"So, about this mission…"

Natsu stiffened, looking up at Lucy and her blank expression.

"We're meeting at the train station later today. We'll be heading to Newwart Town, and from there we'll be conducting an investigation. If what the rumors say are true, then the Ruby Manticore main headquarters will be hidden somewhere within the Juniper Hills."

"Juniper Hills, huh?" Natsu looked into the dark liquid of his mug. "That's a pretty dangerous place, even without a dark guild supposedly hiding there."

"Which makes sense. If you're a dark guild causing a lot of trouble, you hide in a place where nobody wants to go. We have to check it out."

Natsu didn't respond. Lucy knew what he wanted to say, and she could see the small spark of frustration as he tightened his grip on his mug.

"But you know I'll be okay." Lucy continued, speaking softly. "Gray, Erza, and everyone else won't let anything happen to me. Elfman and Alzac will be joining us as well."

"I'll be there, too!" Happy piped up.

Natsu kept his eyes down. "I know. It's…just that I…nevermind."

"What?" Lucy asked as she reached out to touch his hand. "What is it?"

"I should be going with you."

"Natsu, I-"

"Yeah yeah, I know. You don't have to say it." The dragon slayer finally looked up at her. "It just sucks to be left out of an awesome mission like this. But clearly me going along is not a good idea. As much as I would like to think that I can be just as bad ass without my magic, this isn't the time to test that theory."

Natsu smiled at her and Happy. "So make sure you beat up my share of bad guys for me, okay?"

Lucy's own smile bloomed across her face. Natsu's grin was contagious.

"Those bastards won't see me coming. And for the record, I _know_ you can be just as bad ass without your magic."

Natsu chuckled, leaning back in his chair and looking out the window. The clouds were starting to dissipate, letting the sun through in small rays.

"I just realized how bored I'm going to be while you guys are gone." Natsu quirked his lips. "What am I gonna do? It's not like I can go on jobs."

"Oh, that reminds me." Lucy stood, disappearing into the living room for a quick second, then returning with an envelope in hand. "Blue Pegasus sent us a message. Master Bob will do your suit fitting, but you need to go to their headquarters. You could do that while we're gone."

Natsu suddenly looked less than thrilled.

"What? Master Bob isn't that bad."

"It's not Master Bob that I'm worried about."

"Giving Ichiya and his lackeys a good excuse to touch you all over is never a pleasant thought." Happy mumbled to Lucy.

Natsu jerked, almost spilling his coffee.

"That hadn't even occurred to me! Thanks a lot, Happy."

* * *

Gray and Juvia were the first ones to arrive at the train station. Like most of the citizens of Magnolia, they hadn't gotten much sleep last night… although, probably not really for the same reasons. Gray of course didn't mind the chill and thought the white-noise made by rain was actually rather soothing. However, storms had the opposite effect on Juvia. Gray wasn't really sure what it was, but something about the rain, or thunder, or perhaps the darkness made the Water mage more energetic than usual… and also rather frisky. Gray didn't mind in the slightest – he just had to wear his turtleneck shirt to hide the hickey on his neck.

The sky was still clouded over, but the chance of a second shower seemed slim. As they waited in the hall of the station for the rest of the team to show up, Juvia dozed lightly on Gray's chest, small hums escaping her every now and then as she wavered between asleep and awake. Gray stared up at the ceiling, his mind slowly drifting from one thought to the other. Scratching his hairy chin, he couldn't help but wonder for the hundredth time what was going on with Natsu. Although his devil slayer magic hadn't acted up on its own since a couple of days ago, the shock of it still affected Gray. Lucy had told him that she would explains things as soon as she knew what to explain about, which seemed even more suspicious. The fact that Natsu wasn't going to be going on this mission was also a big red flag in Gray's head – you simply don't go on a demolition job and choose not to bring your wrecking ball.

"Hey."

Gray looked up, and Juvia stirred awake to see Gajeel and Panther Lily walking towards them, packs on their backs. To say that Gajeel looked tired would be an understatement. The guy was probably going off of nothing but fumes at this very moment.

"You okay?" Gray asked as he stood up. "You look like crap."

"Yeah, well, _someone_ was driving me and Levy up the wall all night because of some stupid thunder." Gajeel muttered as he cast a sidelong glance to Lily. The black exceed simply crossed his arms and huffed in irritation. "I decided to let her sleep in this morning. No need for her to see us off."

"That's kind of you," Juvia said. "And you can sleep on the train out."

Gajeel winced, skin paling at the thought of the trip ahead. "As nice as that would be, there's no way that's not going to happen."

The next to show up was Erza, clearly well rested and raring to start the mission. Elfman strolled into the station with a large pack on his shoulders. When Gajeel asked what was inside, the man said that Evergreen had packed it for him, and he hadn't been paying attention. Wendy and Carla joined the group later, and finally came Alzac with his family to see them all off.

"Who else are we waiting for?" The sharp-shooter asked.

"Lucy and Happy, I believe." Carla looked around. "I'm almost surprised they aren't here yet."

"Should we send someone over to their house to check on them?" Lily asked.

Erza shook her head. "Let's give them a few more minutes. Besides, we can't leave without them."

Gray let a span of silence pass before he spoke. "Hey Erza, do you know why Natsu's not coming on this mission?"

Erza dropped her eyes in thought. "Honestly, I have no idea. I guess I just thought it had something to do with the wedding."

Of course she did, Gray thought bleakly. It was all Erza thought about. She was the only person as hyped for Natsu and Lucy's wedding apart from the bride and groom themselves.

"I heard that Natsu isn't allowed to use his magic for some reason. Master's orders," Bisca spoke up. Gray and Erza turned to her, both mildly surprised. "I overheard Mirajane and Freed discussing it. But it was a private conversation and I hate to eavesdrop, so that's all I got."

"I see," Erza commented, troubled by this news. "I wonder what happened."

Gray said nothing. The plot was thickening, it seemed.

"Hey guys, sorry we're late!"

The group of mages turned to see Lucy and Happy approaching them. Natsu was also with them, which surprised a good number of them.

"I thought you weren't coming on this mission, Natsu," Elfman commented on everyone's behalf. "Did you change your mind?"

Natsu shook his head. "Nah, I'm still bailing. I'm just here to see Lucy and Happy off. I gotta go in to Blue Pegasus tomorrow for a suit fitting."

"Well then, since we're all here, we might as well head out." Erza spoke up over everybody. "It's a long ride, so we won't reach our destination till nightfall."

And so they packed up and moved from the hall to the ticket booth and finally to the platform. Natsu, Lucy, and Happy hung back from the rest of the group, their hands tangled together. As they approached the large locomotive, both of them unconsciously slowed to a stop. While everyone else boarded the train – Gajeel and Wendy with some reluctance – Lucy felt Natsu's hand tighten around hers. She turned to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll be okay, Natsu," Lucy said as she leaned into him. "I'll be back soon."

Natsu looked up at her, a smile on his lips but a different feeling in his eyes.

"I know you will. And I'll be here waiting for you."

Lucy and Natsu embraced. This was hard, they both realized, harder than it probably should have been. This wasn't the first time they had ever been apart, but even so… why did it feel like they were saying goodbye? After all that had happened, and the recent events from the last few days – had it really only been about three days? – the future had suddenly become so uncertain. It was that uncertainty that scared them. Natsu looked over Lucy's shoulder down at Happy. The small cat was smiling warmly up at him, a reassuring nod meant to comfort the dragon slayer. And it did, if only a little.

"Hey guys."

Natsu and Lucy pulled apart, turning to see Gray hanging out of the door to the cabin. He was blushing slightly, guilty for ruining a personal moment.

"The trains about to leave, Lucy and Happy. We should get going."

Lucy nodded, wiping small tears from her eyes that she hadn't realized were there. Leaning in once more, Lucy kissed Natsu for a brief second, then collected her bags. As she and Happy ducked past Gray, the Ice-Make mage saw the faintest hint of a frown on her lips. Before he could follow Lucy onto the train, Natsu called out to him. Gray looked up, but Natsu was watching Lucy through the window as she moved through the train, finding a seat with Wendy and Erza. When he spoke, his voice was rough with emotion.

"Take care of her, will you?" Natsu looked to Gray, his eyes pleading. "Bring her back to me."

Gray couldn't help but smile. Whatever was going on with Natsu right now, it didn't change the fact that he was still Gray's friend. His _best_ friend, in fact. Nothing was going to change that.

"Like you even have to ask," Gray responded just before he ducked into the cabin and closed the door.

Natsu, Bisca, and Asuka stood on the platform waving goodbye as the train rolled out of the station. When the locomotive was but a line on the landscape, Bisca turned to Natsu.

"You headed to the guild? We'll walk with you, if you'd like."

Natsu smiled at Bisca, but shook his head. "Thanks, but I think I'm just gonna wander over there on my own."

"Alright. If you get bored while Lucy's gone, don't be afraid to hang out with us! I'm sure Asuka and the twins would love to keep you company."

"Yeah!" Asuka pipped up from her mother's side. "Sonya and Byanka have been wanting to meet you for a long time."

Natsu smiled at the young girl. As much as he loved kids, his heart just wasn't in the right mood today. "I'll definitely consider it. See you guys later!"

As soon as Bisca and her daughter were out of sight, Natsu dropped his smile. As much as he wanted to have faith in Lucy's abilities and everyone else's strength, he simply couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. But there was nothing he could do, he admitted with a sigh. It was probably nothing, and everything would turn out fine… or so he tried to tell himself. With a hot stone of concern sitting heavy in his chest, Natsu left the train station alone.

* * *

The trees of Juniper Hills grew tall and thick, a canopy of leaves blocking out almost all sunlight and darkening the interior woods. Because of this, the earth below was mostly barren, the large twisting roots and dried needles the only ground covering. Only the sparse scatterings of pale green Juniper bushes brought any semblance of color to the bleak world, but offered little in the way of nutrition. Almost all of the creatures that inhabited this forest were carnivorous, since the lack of vegetation left them with no other choice. It was a survival of the fittest kind of world, unsafe for any wary traveler or unprepared explorer. If you weren't careful, you would end up losing more than just your way.

But if someone happened to stumble along in just the right direction, following a path that was only obvious to those who knew it was there, they might just happen to find a building. Not a very large one, but it definitely didn't belong in the middle of the woods in the middle of hostile territory. It was here that Ruby Manticore resided; within the darkness and danger, a rather fitting setting.

Two dark figures stood on the roof of the hall; one was massive, a hulking brute of a man, while the other was small and femininely petite. They watched the forest around them with an air of boredom. The call of some predatory bird echoed through the trees.

"They're coming for us."

The one who hadn't spoken looked to the one who did.

"How can you be so sure?" They paused before continuing. "Is it because we attacked the wrong guild?"

The other cocked their head. "They weren't the wrong guild – merely a stepping stone to our true goal. And if everything he has told me about them is true, then they will definitely be coming for us, very soon."

A sigh. "If you say so, Master Konza."

"You should know better than to doubt me… to doubt _him_." A growl, low and not entirely human. "Get out of my sight. They _are_ coming, and we need to be ready."

* * *

A/N: Wow... thank you all so much for the kind words of encouragement last week. I'm sorry for the crybaby note. This is my most favorited and followed story ever, and that should be flattering in it's own way.

But we've reached 30 reviews! Expect a second chapter on Monday! That way you guys have time to leave reviews for this chapter, though I feel like not a lot happens. Stuff will definitely be going down in the next chapter!

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	9. Fool Me Once

This was not going to be easy. Nobody said that it would be, but that was the main thought on everybody's mind. They had a plan – and it was a good one – that was meticulously thought through and considered multiple circumstances. It was a nice change; to actually have a strategy instead of just barging in and causing a ruckus like they would if Natsu was with them. But even with all corners and exits covered, the only thing Gray could think about was what could go wrong.

"Is he in position?"

Alzac peered through the scope of his rifle that he had borrowed from Bisca. Through the dim light of the trees, he could barely make out Elfman's hunched form.

"Yes."

"And Lucy and Wendy?"

Shifting the gun slightly, Alzac adjusted the sights for greater distance. It was easy to pick out Lucy's blonde hair through the trees, even when she and the young dragon slayer crouched within the roots of a gnarled tree.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Everything is ready to go." Gray whispered to Erza. Juvia was nowhere in sight, but they all knew she was out there, waiting for the silence to break.

Finding the Ruby Manticore guild had actually been surprisingly easy. They had set off the day after arriving in Newwart Town with the heart of Juniper Hills as their destination and no real idea for how to find the place. But it turned out that that problem very quickly solved itself, and they had practically stumbled upon it by accident. However, the next big issue arose when they all got a good look at the building and realized that it didn't need to be hidden. The hall had been built like a fortress. At first, they all thought that they had discovered an old prison. The painted symbol of the dark guild – a hectagonal stone encompassed by a scorpion tail – quickly dissuaded that idea. High walls, reinforced doors, and barricaded windows – it made them all wonder whether this building was meant to keep dangerous creatures out, or violent wizards and mercenaries in. However, there was one vulnerability that the architect had not taken into account, that being its significant lack of protection from above. Normally, that might not have been a problem. But with the towering trees and dark canopy, it had been all too simple to fly to a high vantage point and scope out the layout of what lay behind the walls and devise a plan.

The Ruby Manticore guild was comprised of two large sections connected to each other by a narrow passageway. The one closest to the gates was larger than anything else – probably where the main hall was. That would be where they struck first, where the roofing was made up of simple brick and mortar in a rustic facade. It was difficult to say what the other part of the odd building was for, but if they had to guess, it might have just been for storage. That would make sense, at least. It would be checked out anyway; no room for slip ups this time. As far as enemy numbers went, there was no one outside, and the building was only large enough to house about a couple hundred people. They had faced worse odds before.

Even so, this was _not_ going to be easy.

"Stay on your guard, and watch each other's backs." Erza looked to Gray and Gajeel, as well as to the exceeds that accompanied each of them. Alzac looked up at her from where he laid on his belly across the large branch, gun prepped and ammo set out beside him. "I don't want any accidents."

"Speak for yourself," Gajeel smirked.

Gray tried to find some humor as well, but the tensions in the air already had his heart racing with anticipation. Happy's paws on his shoulders trembled ever so slighty, and Gray could see Carla taking slow deep breaths from behind Erza. No matter how many fights and battles that they got into, Gray thought, the intensity of an upcoming brawl never really went away. Erza smiled at the dragon slayer, then turned her gaze back down to the hall below them. A slight breeze played at her red and silver hair.

Without further hesitation, Erza, Gray, and Gajeel tipped forward, falling from the tree-tops. Happy, Carla, and Panther Lily directed their fall, angling them at just the right degree to hit perpendicular to the rocky roof. As they plummeted to earth with increased speed, Gajeel drew back his arm. His flesh turned to a thick iron sword. Gray balled one fist and placed it in the palm of the other. As one, the exceeds tucked in their wings and let gravity take them all the last few yards to the target.

"Iron Dragon Claw!"

"Ice Make Cannon!"

Dust and rubble flew through the air as they quickly drilled through the thinner layers of the ceiling. Shouts and screams sounded around them, and the silhouettes of other people darting out from under the falling debris dashed around them. Dropping down into the new, gaping hole in the ceiling, the three mages landed in a crouch to cushion the shock. The interior of the Ruby Manticore guild was darker than outside, only lit by a few spare lacrimas. Encompassed in a curtain of light that cascaded from above, the trio stood tall and squared off against the foes within the darkness. Whispers echoed back at them, some of them frightened, others angry at the sight of the Fairy Tail emblem on Gray's bare chest and Gajeel's shoulder.

In a small flash of light, a long sword manifested itself in Erza's hand. Raising the sword aloft, Erza called out loud and clear for all to hear.

"You know who we are and why we are here. If any of you wish to surrender, do it now!"

The stunned silence that followed seemed to last for a while. The dust began to settle, and faces became clearer as their eyes adjusted. The large hall was full of dark wizards and mercenaries, all of them glaring at the intruders as part of a silent standoff. Gray could tell from the looks on their faces that none of them were going to back down. _Good_ , Gray thought. He didn't think he could find any mercy in his heart for these bastards. Most of them already had their hands on their weapons. Everyone was waiting for the ball to drop, for someone to throw the first punch or cast the first spell. Gray was tired of waiting.

Lifting his arms high above his head, Gray dropped down and slammed his fists to the ground. A thick sheet of ice snaked over the floor, covering the entirety of the hall, the few columns that held up the ceiling as well as the walls. Cries arose from the crowd of Manticore members as they lost their footing and clung to each other for support. Taking advantage of the confusion, Gajeel took a step forward, iron spikes poking out of his shoes to stabilize on the ice, and shot a metal beam from his arms into the fray of mercenaries and wizards. Erza quickly stepped to the side as a chained blade shot at her chest. The battle had officially begun.

Gray charged forward, splitting off from Erza and Gajeel and coming face to face with a hooded mercenary swinging a pair of double swords. Ducking below the mans wild swipes, Gray thrust his fist forward and up under the merc's ribs, effectively felling him with one blow. A split second later and the wizard to his left was also writhing on the ground nursing a broken knee. Spinning and ducking, then following through with his own attacks, Gray brawled his way through Manticore members as he slowly made his way to the eastern wall of the large hall. It was almost too easy, how he was able to overcome his enemies with hardly more than one or two well aimed strikes. But Ruby Manticore certainly had numbers on their side for this fight. As the dark mages and mercs pressed forward toward the trio of Fairy Tail wizards, it was beginning to get a little crowded for Gray to maneuver. One brave mage even managed to grab his wrist and tried to restrain him. That was when Happy zoomed out of the air and sunk his large fangs into the man's arm. A back-handed haymaker from Gray quickly knocked him out.

Just as Gray was beginning to break a sweat, loud crashes echoed through the hall from outside. Almost everyone paused in the battle, their confusion making them hesitate. In a sudden burst of light and flying rock, the east and west walls of the guild crumbled away to reveal Elfman on one side and Lucy with Wendy on the other. With the majority of the enemies concentrated to the front of the hall, it left their back sides wide open for attack. Most of the Manticore mercs and mages didn't have time to react as the other Fairy Tail wizards joined the fray. Unwittingly, the Manticore members split themselves from each other to opposite sides of the hall in reaction the the appearance of these new adversaries, leaving the middle wide open for Erza to blast through and reach the other side where the entrance to the passageway to the other part of the building was. There, she was planned to meet up with Juvia and assist her with any enemies. Just before she darted into the hallway, Erza shouted over her shoulder.

"I'll leave the rest to you!" Erza nodded at Carla, who flew away to rejoin Wendy. Then her eyes found Gray over the crowd, and she tipped her chin at him.

Gray nodded at her, moving to fill in the space that she had left behind. Lucy and Wendy also spread out. Lucy was wearing her Taurus dress, her amplified strength more than a match for most of these guys. Wendy sent foe after foe hurtling through the air, showcasing just exactly how powerful her offensive spells had become over the years. Gray could hear Elfman roaring from where he fought off a hoard of mercenaries. It seemed that for every one they took down, two more would take their place. But even so, Gray began to feel suspicious. These Manticore members fought like amateurs; leaving themselves open, being predictable, or just plain running away. Luckily, Alzac was roosted in the perfect spot to gun down any strays. There might have been many of them, but Gray couldn't imagine a guild like Sabertooth having problems with a dark guild like this. Either this wasn't the real Ruby Manticore they had heard about, or Sting was seriously losing his touch.

Something wasn't right.

The battle ended quickly after Erza left. One thing Gray had to hand these guys, they fought to the last man. In due time, the only ones left standing were those that bore the Fairy Tail emblem. Slightly out of breath, but relatively unharmed, Gray looked out across the hall and all the moaning and unconscious bodies scattered about. This victory had been won a little too easily. Gray's gut twisted, a worried itch scratching at his brain.

"You doing okay, Gray?" Wendy asked as she trotted up to him, Carla close behind.

"Yeah, I've barely broken a sweat." Gray frowned, unsure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. "You guys good?"

Happy and Lucy looked over from where they stood a few yards away, nodding the affirmative. Across the hall, Elfman and Gajeel stomped around. The dragon slayer looked less than pleased as they all gathered together in the center of the hall.

"This was seriously less awesome than I thought it would be," Gajeel sneered, kicking a bit of rubble to hit a mercenary in the face. "What the hell kind of weakling guild like this could possibly go up against the Twin Dragons and almost win?"

"I have to admit that I'm a little disappointed as well." Lily looked around. "But Erza's not back yet. Perhaps she may need assistance?"

Elfman grunted. "If I know Erza, then she should be able to take out these wimps with her pinkie finger."

"And she's got Juvia with her as back up," Wendy chimed in.

"Between the two of them, I almost feel sorry for these guys." Lucy peered down at an unconscious enemy a few feet away. It was a young boy, probably no older than 18. It always broke her heart a little to see someone wasting their lives away in a place like this.

That was when they heard the scream. A woman's scream that echoed back onto itself through the hall and made everyone's blood run cold.

Gray's heart leapt into his throat as his legs immediately propelled him forward. Barely registering the footsteps of the others following him, Gray sprinted across the hall and plunged into the darkness of the passage, not caring that he could barely see three feet in front of him. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn that that cry sounded just like Juvia and if anything had happened to her or Erza, there was going to be hell to pay.

A small ball of light drifted next to Gray's shoulder as he ran. Instantly recognizing the little star as Lucy's, Gray continued to rush forward. It didn't provide much light, but it would suffice. Lucy called it her "Star Bright" spell, developed a couple of years ago in case she needed a source of light and Natsu wasn't around. A scattering of small stars would manifest in the air around her, and if one knew what to look for, they could find a familiar constellation. The spell could only be done with Leo's key, and would follow only Lucy for a certain amount of time.

By the light of the stars, a pair of double doors faded into Gray's vision, closed and locked. It must have been a trap, Gray realized, and Erza had walked right into it on purpose... knowing that Juvia was counting on her. Gray balled his fist at the thought, a hardened ball of ice encompassing his hand. With a roar ripping from his mouth, Gray bludgeoned the door with all of his might. Metal frames cracking and hinges ripping, the doors flew inward. Gray whirled up again, ready to face whatever lay beyond with vengeance on his mind.

But he hadn't been expecting the curtain of black mist the tumbled through the open doors, washing over Gray and the rest of the Fairy Tail mages and flooding into the hallway. Before Gray could stop himself, he was coughing and gagging on the toxic air. His heart spiked with fear as small pricks of pain in his chest quickly escalated to a throbbing pressure. His strength was sapped from his limbs in a matter of seconds. Falling to his knees, Gray struggled to breathe, but his throat was closing tighter and tighter with every breath he took. Wheezing in desperation, Gray turned his head to the side. Gajeel was closest to him in a similar condition. If Gajeel's iron lungs couldn't protect him, then this was some _very_ serious black magic they were dealing with. Lucy was just past him, also struggling on her hands and knees. But her gaze was locked up ahead of them, terror and confusion painting her face. Gray forced himself to look up, afraid of what he might see.

There were only two other people in the square, empty room. One was a hulking man who wore nothing but a leather holster that carried an enormous halberd across his back, and leather pantaloons with a chainmail skirt that matched his buckled boots. His long hair was black as night, as were his eyes. The emblem of the Ruby Manticore guild was printed largely across his sculpted abdominals. He had fresh blood on his knuckles, and a small spattering across his face. Erza and Juvia lay on the ground just past him. They looked like they had been beaten to hell and back, large purple bruises and fresh gashes marring their bodies. Juvia didn't look like she was breathing, and Erza was bleeding from her ear and mouth as she huffed watery breaths. If breathing hadn't already been so hard, Gray probably would have stopped altogether. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't.

"You'll have to forgive him. He was getting bored waiting for you guys."

A girl stood in the center of the chamber. She was young, perhaps only slightly older than Wendy. Her pale hair and clothes were unkempt, and her dark blue eyes were ringed with red veins and dark circles, like she had been awake for days. Her Manticore emblem was placed just above her right eyebrow. In her hands was an old, leather-bound book that was opened to the center page. The same black mist that was assailing them flowed out of the pages of the book, crept across the floor and out into the hallway where they had come. Gray felt a pang of déjà vu at the sight of the tome. The girl smiled crookedly, revealing yellow teeth. When she spoke, there was a slight hiss to her voice.

"We knew you were coming." Snapping the book shut, the young woman tucked it under arm and stepped up to the weakened mages, wading through the darkness with no affect to her health. "But we seem to be missing a certain someone."

Gray didn't know how much longer he could hold out, the lack of oxygen beginning to take its toll. There was already a black ring around his vision as he watched the strange girl approach Lucy. Quickly, Lucy reached out to Happy - the small cat curled in on himself with pain - and pulled him closer to her. But she looked like she was on the verge of passing out as well. The girl looked down her nose at the Fairy Tail mages. The redness in her eyes seemed to make her blue eyes brighter, sending a shiver down Lucy's spine as she tried her best to defiantly glare right back. The man stepped away from Erza and Juvia to join his companion in her scrutinizing.

"I guess we'll just have to wait for him, then," she said in a bored tone. If Gray hadn't been on the verge of passing out he would have punched her in the face. _Hard._

Lips twisting into a cruel smile, the girl tilted her head as she laughed in a high-pitched giggle. "I'm sure the demon dragon will be joining us soon." Gray slumped to the floor, eyes rolling back his head. The one hand he had stretched out towards Juvia went limp. The last thing he heard before he was overcome with darkness was the girl's manic laughter and her hissed words.

"I can't wait."

* * *

"How does that feel, honey?"

Natsu lifted his arms and bent his elbows, taking note of how the fabric stretched and how high the cuffs were pulled up. "I think the sleeves could be a little longer, and it's kind of tight around my biceps."

"It's supposed to be a little snug on your arms, darling." Master Bob smiled. "When you have rotund muscles such as yours, you don't hide them away in loose sleeves."

Natsu smiled at that, turning to look in the mirror. Other than the tape, pins, and undone seams, his suit was coming along nicely. The torso hugged him in just the right places. The cut of fabric under his arms followed the curve of his ribs and dropped along his abdominals, allowing him to twist around and bend over without the jacket riding up. Master Bob might have been a strange man, but he sure did know how to tailor a suit. The pants had been easy, even if Natsu was suspicious whether Master Bob really need to get _that_ close to certain parts of him for measurements. The jacket was slightly more complicated, but the Blue Pegasus Master was good at what he did, and easily made adjustments when needed and provided suggestions when necessary.

"I'm just worried that I might rip them."

"Darling, you're getting married, not arm wrestling," Master Bob chided. "Trust me, when I'm done with you, Lucy will be thanking me."

"You should listen to Master Bob, young man," Ichiya chimed in, his usual glamor sparking in passion. "He's designed all the suits that the men of Blue Pegasus wear. He knows what he's talking about!"

Natsu shrugged, taking the man by his word. When Natsu had arrived at the Blue Pegasus guild earlier that morning, he hadn't been expecting Master Bob to be waiting for him at the front doors. Wasting no time, the flamboyant man whisked Natsu away to a room that was separate from the main club of the guild - where the walls were a light shade of pink and mirrors were mounted in front of round pedestals with bright lights shining down on them. At first it was a little overwhelming for Natsu, but eventually his eyes adjusted. He still wasn't sure why Ichiya was there, though. The man hadn't done anything except tell Natsu how good he looked.

"So tell me, Natsu." Bob spoke up as he motioned for Natsu to turn around and stand straight. "Why didn't you go with your fiancé to take care of those scoundrels that attacked Sabertooth?"

Natsu bit his lip, lifting his arms so Bob could measure the width of his chest.

"It's kind of personal. Sorry."

"It's a terrible thing, what happened to our friends." Ichiya lightly pressed a hand to his forehead. "I can barely stand the thought."

Natsu grimaced, the very thought of Lucy and his friends dealing with scum like that at this very moment making him sick with worry. It wasn't fair, Natsu thought for the hundredth time.

"It's just a shame they didn't randomly attack us," Natsu thought out loud. "We would have shown them a thing or two."

Master Bob and Ichiya gave each other knowing looks before the older man cocked an eyebrow at Natsu. "Didn't you hear? Sting believes that it wasn't just a random attack. That dark guild targeted them. In fact, Sting had reason to believe they were targeting one of their members."

Natsu felt the blood drain from his face. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Master Bob looped his measuring tape around his neck, crossing his arms in all seriousness.

"I talked with Sting over lacrima the day after it happened. He thinks that they were looking for someone. But he had no idea who and for what reason. But he heard one of them shout something that was very strange. It had something to do with a 'demon dragon'."

"Someone needs to tell those rufians that Acnologia has been gone for three years, and that he's never coming back. Don't you agree, Natsu?" Ichiya looked to the dragon slayer expectantly.

Natsu only stared at the two men, mouth hanging open as realization hit him like a train. His hands balled into fists, nails digging into his palms. The etherious behind his heart thrummed. Lucy was in danger, it seemed to tease. And he was hundreds of miles away.

"Master Bob, Ichiya." Natsu spoke quickly as he began stripping off the unfinished suit. "I have a favor to ask you."

* * *

A/N: And the second part of the double chapter special! I'm sorry that this is a little later than I usually post, but this weekend was really busy. I'm also well aware of the crappy quality of this chapter. I promise, I will come back and to some super heavy duty editing later this week.

EDIT: Alright! I've basically rewritten this chapter, but it's essentially the same concept with better writing (i hope).

Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I really appreciate the feedback. Keep it coming. If this story reaches 100 reviews I'll do another double chapter (so basically if every person that follows this leaves a review, you should be good.)

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	10. Betting It All

It was still hard to breath when Lucy woke up. The black mist was gone, but the effects lingered. Though not as much of a struggle as before, it still felt like she had just run five marathons and couldn't get enough oxygen into her lungs no matter how hard she tried. Her gasps came in wheezing bursts, chest heaving rapidly. Her limbs were weak and hardly obeyed her commands. Vision was slow to return, blobby shapes fading into focus and color filling in from dark to light. There wasn't much light to discern one thing from the other, so as Lucy lay on the hard stone floor, the unfocused world around her shifted and churned. Tilting her head up slightly, Lucy could barely spy Gray out of the corner of her vision, his back facing her. It didn't seem like he was awake yet. Happy was still curled next to her, the small cat huffing but not conscious. Lucy tried to turn her head to see the others, but they were out of range.

"Are you sure he will come, Master Konza?" A deep voice managed to creep into Lucy's ears. "Just exactly how long are you planning to keep them here?"

"As long as I have to." The girl and her giant companion were both standing a couple yards away from the cluster of passified mages. Their backs were turned to her. "If he wants to see his friends alive, he'll have no choice but to face us."

The man grunted. "We've never taken hostages before. I fear we may be in over our heads. What if we bring the wrath of the entire guild down on us?"

"If the entire Fairy Tail guild is what it takes, then so be it." The girl – Konza – sneered at her companion. "When did you become such a coward, Master Marlow?"

Lucy, starting to regain control of herself, slowly reached a hand down to the holster on her hip. They hadn't taken her keys, which Lucy thought was odd but wasn't about to question it. Fingering over each one of her keys at a painstakingly slow pace so the metal wouldn't clink, Lucy was forced to choose the right one from feel alone, something she had never done before. Rubbing her thumb over the head of each key, the engravings in the enamel painted a picture in her head – one she hoped was right. When she was sure she had found the one she was looking for, Lucy gripped it tightly. Her body might have been weak, but her magic was still going strong. She just had to wait for the right moment to strike.

"This one's awake already."

Lucy yelped as she was dragged across the floor, skin scraping painfully against the rough stone. Lifted up into the air by her feet, the man with the halberd held her aloft as Konza stepped up to her, arms crossed and expression upset.

"But it's only been a few minutes. Does the curse really wear off that quickly?" Konza seemed to mostly be speaking to herself. "I suppose that's what you get when you only have half a spell."

Being upside down put more pressure on Lucy's chest and throat, making it even harder to breath. Her suddenly racing heart wasn't helping matters.

"Put… me down!" If she couldn't circulate air easier and soon, she was going to pass out again.

Marlow looked to Konza, who flicked her wrist at him. With a surprising amount of ease and care, the man placed Lucy back on the floor. Rolling over onto her back, Lucy lay gasping for much needed air. She couldn't tell if her throat was still constricted, or if her lungs were just refusing to work. Though she wasn't coughing up blood or anything, Lucy had a small fear that whatever was in that black mist might have done some damage.

Rolling over after catching what little breath she could, Lucy propped herself up on her hands and knees. One hand instinctively went to her holster once more. Konza's sudden laughter caught her attention. When she looked up, the Manticore girl had an amused look on her face, like Lucy had done something embarrassing.

"Go ahead and try, sweetheart." Her yellow teeth and pale hair stood out in the dark. "Marlow will crush you before you could get one word out, and then he'll destroy all your friends – including the one you have hiding in the trees outside."

Lucy huffed, placing her hand back on the ground in front of her. She was right. Lucy still hadn't mastered the art of summoning spirits through intent alone. Any spirits what were capable of opening the gates themselves could only do so when she was in immediate danger. Unfortunately, this situation did not qualify. The only thing Lucy could do was stall for time, and wait for at least one of her friends to wake up as well. Looking over them, Lucy's heart clenched at the sight of Juvia and Erza. Juvia, who was naturally pale to begin with, looked white as a sheet. Erza wasn't faring much better.

"Don't worry." Marlow replied to her expression. "They'll live."

"For now," Konza hissed, casting a glare to Marlow over her shoulder.

Lucy sat back on her heels, glaring at the two with as much hate as she could muster. "Who are you? What the hell do you want?"

"Ooooh, Fairy's got fight." Konza chuckled. "We are the masters of Ruby Manticore. Yes, both of us are masters. When you have a mage and mercenary guild, you need both a mage and mercenary master. As for what we want? I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."

Lucy cocked an eyebrow at the girl, unamused by her playful demeanor. A sudden cough rattled her chest, and she felt something hack up into her throat. Lucy really hoped it wasn't blood as she quickly swallowed it back down. That was when Lucy noticed the large leather tome sticking out of Konza's long black coat. Her eyes widened, heart picking up in pace.

"That." Lucy raised a finger. "Where did you get that?"

Konza's smile fell. "That's none of your business."

"That doesn't belong to you." Lucy wished her voice wasn't so raspy, then she would be able to speak with more conviction. "I know what that is. It shouldn't even exist."

Finally, Konza's smug exterior deteriorated into shock and confusion. Lucy couldn't help but grin, feeling extremely satisfied. Marlow frowned at the two females.

"I was there when he was defeated. So how about you drop the superiority act and tell me where you found Zeref's book?" Lucy snarled.

"Don't you dare speak his name!" Konza shrieked.

The girl howled, one hand lashing out and striking Lucy across the face. Lucy yelped at the harsh sting in her cheek, but managed to stay sitting up right. Straightening her jaw, Lucy looked back up to see Marlow restraining Konza, both of his large hands encompassing her arms. With a grunt, Konza wrenched out of his grasp and spun away from Lucy.

"Punishing you for your arrogance would be a waste of time," the girl huffed. "But I'm beginning to grow tired of waiting. I'm not going to let four months of careful planning go to waste over-"

A sudden cough interrupted the Master. Everyone looked over to see Wendy stagger to prop herself up on her elbows. The young dragon slayer still hadn't regained full awareness, blinking her eyes rapidly as she drew in wheezing breaths. That cruel smile returned to Konza's face, making Lucy shiver.

"Perhaps we should send a message." Konza licked her lips as she switched her gaze back to Lucy. "Isn't that what you do when you take a hostage? Demand for ransom, and send proof of life?"

Marlow stepped forward and grabbed Wendy by her hair, lifting her up much the same as he had done with Lucy. Wendy screamed, kicking her legs weakly. Drawing his halberd, Marlow thrust the sharp tip forward until it just barely floated in front of Wendy's right eye. The girl went absolutely still, tears forming in her eyes. Lucy gritted her teeth, anger rising in her chest. Nobody treated her friends like that! But what could she do? If she tried to summon a spirit, he might hurt Wendy, and the other Fairy Tail mages were still out of it.

"No, no, not an eye, you oaf," Konza sneered, her red rimmed eyes narrowing. "Pick an ear. She doesn't need two of those."

Marlow frowned, but adjusted his weapon to the side of Wendy's head. Wendy whimpered as the sharp edge of the axehead pressed behind the top of her ear. Lucy almost screamed when a small trickle of blood rolled down the side of her jaw to the tip of her chin.

Marlow pulled back suddenly, grunting in confusion as he looked to the floor. In rapid swirls, fractals of ice made their way up his legs and to his waist. When the ice reached his torso, he yelped in alarm, dropping Wendy to the ground. Lucy gasped in relief, following the trail of ice across the floor to where it originated from Gray's splayed fingers. His breathing was about the same as Lucy's, but he righted himself into a crouch with ease. He had been awake and listening the entire time, Lucy realized.

"You guys are really sadistic, you know that?" Gray growled. The ice encasing Marlow stopped just above the man's collarbones, leaving only his head untouched. "If you ever touch any of my friends again, I _will_ kill you."

Konza was shaking with rage, fists balled at her sides and blue eyes wide with anger. Marlow groaned and strained against his icy prison, but Gray's magic was incredibly strong. In a flourish, Konza retrieved the book from her coat and held it out, finger poised along the edge of the cover. With a start, Lucy noticed that the back cover and half the pages were charred black, like it had been lit on fire but not completely burned.

"How dare you threaten me, you welp," Konza growled, glaring at Gray through the thin wisps of her pale hair. "I'll make you apologize with your life. No one can survive a double dose of Hollow!"

Snapping the book open, Konza twisted it so that the pages were facing Gray. At first, it seemed like the paper was blank, edges yellow and torn from the years. Then there was a single spot of black ink that bloomed in the center of the page. Spreading across the paper with black veins in a matter of moments, a stream of a thick, vaporous substance shot from the book. It was not the same kind of mist that they had first encountered – this was targeted, intended for one individual. Lucy cried out, reaching a hand up as the curse flew through the air towards Gray. The man seemed frozen in surprise, simply staring as the dark magic made straight for him.

In a loud crash, the ceiling of the room shattered to pieces as a large object fell through it. When it hit the floor, the impact rocked the room, causing Konza to stumble and drop the book, cutting off the attack just shy of its target. Lucy fell back on her butt trying to get out of the way, snatching up Happy as she did. The little exceed mumbled something and stirred in Lucy's hands. She was too distracted, however, by her shock at seeing the large anchor that had embedded itself into the floor, a thick chain trailing up from it back through the hole in the ceiling and into the sky. But, more importantly, to who was clinging to it.

Wasting no time, Natsu leapt off the anchor towards the nearest person. Konza barely had time to react before Natsu's fist slammed into her cheek. The force of the punch sent her sliding across the floor, where she lay motionless and stunned.

"Konza!" Marlow cried, doubling his efforts to breakout of Gray's ice prison.

Natsu stood straight and blinked, eyes adjusting to the darkness. Looking to the person he had just attacked, the dragon slayer jerked in surprise.

"Shit, I just punched a little girl!" Natsu grimaced.

"It's okay, bonehead," Gray stated as he began standing up. "She's an enemy."

Natsu spun at the sound of Gray's voice, eyes widening in surprise at the sight of his friends. Rushing over to them, he dropped down to his knees beside Lucy. Putting a warm hand on her shoulder, Natsu took in the beaten state of her and the other Fairy Tail mages, who were also starting to come around. Wendy had crawled over to cradle Carla, while Gajeel coughed as he rolled to his stomach. Elfman moaned, slowly rocking his head back and forth. Their raspy breathing filled the quiet of the room. Erza and Juvia seemed to be in even worse condition.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" Natsu looked to Lucy. Her cheek was red from where she had been slapped. "Are you okay?"

"It was a trap," Gray responded. He was kneeling on the floor, Juvia settled in his arms. She was breathing, thankfully, but a large gash on the side of her head was very concerning. "We walked right into it. They've got one of Zeref's books, Natsu."

Natsu's eyebrows knotted together. Searching the room, Natsu's eyes locked onto the closed leather book on the floor. So more than one had survived Zeref's demise? How many more were there? Lost in his thoughts as he was, Natsu didn't notice the deepening look of suspicion on the Ice-Maker's face. This was not the reaction that Gray had expected. He had thought the brother of one of the evillest wizards to ever live hearing that his demons were still around would be a little more… _shocked_? Before he could say anything about it, Lucy grabbed Natsu's attention.

"How are you here, Natsu?" It was hard to tell whether she was happy or angry.

"Blue Pegasus brought me here on Christina." Natsu jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the anchor. "I knew you were in Juniper Hills, but Hibiki was the one who landed me here. For someone whose calculations are based on probability, he was pretty spot on. They should be joining us shortly."

"You voluntarily chose to ride in that death trap?" Gajeel huffed as he rested on his knees, Lily sitting up in his lap. "You've got some serious guts, Salamander."

Natsu frowned, going pale at the memory. "Actually, I think I lost them somewhere over Fiore as we were going Mach 5." Turning to Lucy, he gave his fiancé a small smile. "Remind me never to do that again."

Everyone looked up as a small _tink_ rang through the air. The slightest, hairline crack had appeared in the ice surrounding Marlow. The large mercenary was gritting his teeth in deep concentration, sweat breaking out on his brow. Natsu shot to his feet, rushing at the man with the intent to knock him out before he could break free. But he wasn't fast enough.

Shattering the ice with a massive swing of his arms, Marlow raised his halberd and brought it down upon Natsu with a roar. Barely dodging the blow, Natsu snuck under the man, where his stomach was completely exposed. The air rushed out of Marlow's lungs as Natsu jammed his fist up under his ribs. But unlike Konza, this Manticore Master knew how to take a hit, and quickly recovered. Swinging his arm, Marlow back-handed Natsu across the face at full force. Natsu was flung across the room like a ragdoll. Landing heavily on the floor, he rolled through the hit and slammed into the wall. Dazed from the impact, Natsu barely had time to look up and see Marlow directly over him, halberd raised for a devastating blow.

Elfman and Wendy cried out as they came at Marlow from the side, kicking and punching as they took him by surprise. Marlow grunted as he slid across the floor, keeping his feet under him. One hand nursed his side, a broken rib making him pause.

"We can't stay and fight," Wendy said to Natsu, voice raspy. "Erza and Juvia are in critical condition. We've already taken out the rest of the guild, so we should retreat while we can."

"As if I would make it that easy."

Konza had regained herself in the skirmish, her cheek swollen and bruised. She was kneeling on the floor with a lopsided grin on her face. On the floor in front of her was _another_ leather bound book opened to its center. Natsu's eyes widened, the etherious pulsing with his heart. Instead of a demon or a mist manifesting from the pages, a single pulse of energy emanated from the book. It passed harmlessly through the Manticores and the Fairies, continuing on through the passageway behind Lucy and through the rest of the dark guild. When it hit Natsu, a sharp pain shot through his chest, causing him to gasp and clutch as his heart.

Lucy and Happy sat in confusion, wondering just what that pulse should have done. They were answered by a far off noise, echoes of shouts and cries coming through the hallway that lead to the main guild hall. Lucy looked over her shoulder, a sense of dread overcoming her. Gray cursed, hugging Juvia closer to him.

"We need to get out of here," Elfman shouted as he ran over and gathered Erza. "Before this entire damn guild comes crashing down on us!"

Sure enough, Lucy could already see the clamoring bodies of the rest of the members of Ruby Manticore come sprinting down the hall. But something was different about them – they weren't the same uncertain people that had greeted Erza, Gajeel, and Gray. They were ferocious, more beastly somehow as they advanced without fear. Everyone shot to their feet, Gray hoisting up Juvia bridal style. Lucy stepped forward and picked up the book that Konza had dropped. The leather was soft to the touch, the handwriting on the cover unpleasantly familiar. Natsu stepped in front of Lucy and Happy, falling into a fighting stance as he waited for the inevitable clash.

"Fear not, dear friends!"

A rope ladder dropped down from the same hole the anchor had, carrying with it Ichiya and the heart throbs of Blue Pegasus.

"We will hold off the foes while you all escape!" Hibiki proclaimed. "Take the wounded up to the ship, we'll be able to treat them! Alzac has already been collected."

Konza stared at the newcomers, hands tightening around the book in her hands. "No, no, no! This is all wrong!"

"Happy, get Lucy out of here now!" Natsu shouted to the exceed as he turned away from the oncoming horde of mages and mercs. The men of blue Pegasus rushed at them with more bravery than Natsu thought they were capable of. Instead, he settled his glare on the Manticore girl across the room.

"No, I'm not going to leave you, not like this!" Lucy stepped up next to him. Curse her raspy voice and watery breaths.

"I'll be fine, Lucy. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Natsu." Lucy wasn't intending to sound mean, but the slight crack in her voice betrayed her worry. Natsu looked to the girl, to his best friend, and grinned.

"When do I ever? I'll be okay. Now go."

Gray handed Juvia over to Gajeel. "Take care of her. I can't run away while the man that did this is still breathing."

Gajeel took the rain woman's limp form and nodded at the Ice-Make mage. Swinging her over his shoulder, Gajeel and Lily climbed up the rope ladder below Elfman and Erza. As more and more Ruby Manticore members swarmed into the small room, the rope ladder pulled away back to the sky. Wendy and Lucy, carried by Carla and Happy, followed it. Lucy cast one last look down to Natsu before she exited.

Stepping up beside his companion, Gray focused on Marlow. The mercenary narrowed his eyes at the two Fairies, stepping in front of Konza protectively. The young girl was seething in frustration, grinding her yellow teeth as she clutched the book to her chest.

"I can't use my magic, Gray," Natsu said without looking at the other man. "But don't think for an instant that I'm asking for your help."

Gray coughed, but there was a small laugh behind it. "So I'm going to be doing all the heavy lifting, as usual. Is that what you're saying?"

Natsu smirked. But he had to admit, it was going to be hard to resist the urge to use his flames to blow these guys to smithereens. He would just have to manage – the risk was too great.

"Marlow, we're leaving," Konza hissed, tucking the book into her coat. The other master looked at her over his shoulder, nodding. Swinging his weapon in a mighty arc, Marlow blasted a hole through the wall behind them. Gray and Natsu dashed forward as Konza retreated out into the forest. Blocking their path, Marlow grunted as he quickly swept his halberd at the two men. Both of them leapt through the air to dodge, fists shooting up simultaneously to nail him under the jaw. Marlow didn't stand a chance against their combo attack. Falling backwards, the mercenary's eyes rolled up, catching the form of Konza dashing through the trees without looking back before he lost consciousness.

Natsu and Gray gave chase, a small crowd of dark guild members that managed to get past Ichiya and his men following them, but they were too slow. As the girl retreated farther and farther into the woods, the two men found it hard to keep up. Konza was incredibly fast, and the idea of catching her became out of the question. Natsu would have already thrown a fireball at her by now if he could, which only frustrated him more. Luckily, Gray was thinking something along the same lines. With a raspy shout, Gray flung a ball of ice magic ahead of him. It soared past Konza and exploded against the trunk of a tree. Rapidly spreading across the landscape, the girl lost her footing and fell forward, sliding on her stomach over the frozen ground.

"Gotcha!" Natsu grinned as he and Gray quickly caught up with her. Gray's labored breathing caused concern in the back of Natsu's mind.

Konza had a wild look her eyes, similar to one an animal might wear when they knew they had been cornered. Spinning around on her elbows, Konza scrambled backwards, away from the advancing mages. Small tears of fear formed in her eyes. In a last ditch attempt to escape, Konza shot her hand up as the two men approached her.

"Glass Make Scythe!"

Neither Natsu nor Gray were prepared. There was a shimmer in the air, then a large, crystal clear cutter with a wicked blade came swinging sideways at them both. It was too late for them to dodge. Natsu squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the pain.

The sound of slicing flesh reached Natsu's ears, but he felt nothing. Opening his eyes, his heart nearly stopped at the sight of Gray dropping to his knees on the ground in front of Natsu. He had taken the full brunt of the blow, a large wound cutting under his arm and across his torso just below his pectorals quickly drenched his stomach in blood. Gray's eyes were wide, his husky breaths coming rapidly. The scythe shattered into a million pieces, like it had never been.

"Gray!" Natsu called out as he dropped next to Gray, letting his friend limply lean back against him. Konza, being ignored, flew to her feet and shot off into forest, living to fight another day.

"Shit, Gray, why the hell did you do that?!" Natsu sputtered as he removed his long jacket and pressed it to Gray's stomach. The cut had just barely missed the cross-shaped scar on Gray's hip – the one that matched Natsu's own almost identically on his other hip.

"Gotta make sure Lucy has a groom for her wedding, right?" Gray's voice trembled, no doubt in an incredible amount of pain. But he still managed to smile at Natsu. "She would kill me if I let anything happen to you."

Natsu gaped at Gray, slightly annoyed, but mostly touched by Gray's selfless behavior. Of all the people in Natsu's life, Gray was the only one who had repeatedly thrown himself in harm's way to protect him. What's more was that Natsu had repeatedly done the same for him. If that wasn't friendship - or even another form of love - then he didn't know what was. Natsu tried to smile back at him.

"Can't have a wedding without a best man, either."

Gray looked up at Natsu, unsure if Natsu was saying what he thought he was saying. "Are you finally asking me to be your best man?"

Natsu rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I guess I am. Whadda ya say?"

Gray smiled, his eyes growing heavy from blood loss. He barely managed to give his answer before he passed out.

"Hell no."

Natsu huffed a single laugh, knowing what Gray's real answer was. His ears pricked suddenly, the sounds of the Ruby Manticore members that had been following them growing louder. Natsu cursed under his breath; there was no time to come up with a plan. One thing he needed to do for certain was stop Gray's bleeding, and seeing as he didn't have healing magic or a first aid kit, that left only one option – he would have to cauterize the wound.

He had no choice, Natsu thought as he shook his head. He would have to use his magic. With a sigh, Natsu removed the jacket from Gray's abdomen. If he was going to risk using it at all, he decided, then he might as well go all out. It only took a few seconds for Natsu to seal the wound shut. Gray was far from being okay, but at least he wouldn't bleed to death. Tying off his jacket around the wound by the sleeves, Natsu quickly dragged Gray's body over to a tree where he would be at least partially hidden. When the dragon slayer stood back up, the first of the enemies had spotted him through the trees.

"Come and get me, you bastards!" Natsu yelled as he broke into a run.

Natsu's heart pounded with anxiety as he led the crowd of angry people away from Gray. His flames were holding for now, so at least this way he could get some distance between him and his friend before… well, before he lost it. All the things that could possibly go wrong rushed through Natsu's head as fire sparked to life on his skin and in his hair. When he felt he had gone far enough, Natsu spun and firmly planted himself to face the oncoming battle. As his fists flared with bright orange fire, Natsu gulped and readied himself. The dark energy behing his heart shuddered, waiting.

Natsu desperately hoped things wouldn't go wrong.

* * *

A/N: I have a feeling that this next manga chapter is going to completely shatter the image of E.N.D. that I'm trying to build up. If that happens, can you guys trust me to fill you in on how things went three years ago that lead to these events right now? I'll try my best. But now things are heating up!

Big thank you to everyone who has reviewed! I greatly appreciate your enthusiasm and support. Remember, if this story gets 100 reviews, I'll do another double chapter!

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	11. A Book By Its Cover

The moment Lucy had seen that Erza and Juvia were being tended to properly in the medical keep aboard the Christina, she and Happy had done an immediate about face and ran towards the same bay doors they had come in. Gajeel and Lily were quick to follow her, while Wendy and Carla stayed to provide first aid to the wounded. Elfman took it upon himself to explain everything that had happened to Alzac, the poor sharp shooter confused and baffled by the sudden appearance of a large ship in the sky. They didn't stick around for the retrieval of Ichiya and his men after their battle, nor did they expect everyone to wait for them. The only thing she made sure to do was leave Zeref's book with Carla, strictly telling her not to open it. Not even waiting for an answer, she and Happy flung themselves from the Christina without a second thought. Lucy just knew she had to find Natsu. Before it was too late.

The first clue she had to his whereabouts was the column of smoke climbing its way into the sky.

"I thought Salamander wasn't supposed to use his magic or something?" Gajeel shouted to her over the wind.

The fear pounding in her heart kept her from answering him. As Happy jetted himself in the direction of the carnage, Lily and Gajeel shared a look before they followed. The smoke was too thick to make a safe landing, and the thick canopy of the Juniper Hills made it difficult to enter the forest. Gajeel had to hack away at the dense foliage for more than a minute before they broke through. Lucy hit the forest floor running, Happy gliding along right behind her as they barely stopped to wait for Gajeel and Lily. The darkness of the forest hardly helped Lucy navigate through the thick trees, but luckily Gajeel was there to direct her by scent.

"Hang on, blondie!" Gajeel called out as he skidded to a halt, nose raised to the air. "I'm getting Gray's smell, too. But there's…blood, and lots of it. He's been hurt, badly."

Lucy's poor heart couldn't beat any faster as her mind quickly assumed the worst. Had Natsu attacked Gray? Was he still alive?

"Can you find him?" Lucy pressed. Gajeel nodded once, then took off in a slightly different direction with Lucy and the exceeds following.

When they found Gray, his legs were sticking out between the roots of a tree, and he wasn't moving. His facial hair was caked with a small amount of blood that he must have coughed up. The ground was wet with half-melted ice, as well as a dark-brown stain that trailed away from Gray's body and pooled in an alarmingly large area. As Gajeel and Lucy gently maneuvered the man out from the tree, she quickly recognized the stained jacket tied around Gray's torso. Lucy tried not to cry with relief – Natsu wasn't the one who had done this. There was still hope. Gajeel tenderly lifted up the cloth and peeked under.

"Just as I thought. Burned closed." Gajeel looked up at Lucy, a short burst of coughs interrupting him. "Probably saved his life, but we should get him up to the Christina."

Lucy blinked down at Gray. She had a pretty good guess for what had happened, but it still didn't answer her most crucial question – where was Natsu?

"Salamander's that way," Gajeel stated with a pointed finger. "We'll see to Gray, you go collect your loser boyfriend."

Lucy nodded, muttering a thank you to the dragon slayer and Lily as she and Happy took off once more through the forest. Clambering over roots and the uneven ground consumed Lucy's energy, her damaged lungs desperately trying to keep up with her needs. Happy huffed as he flew beside her. By the sounds of their breathing, it would have seemed like the two of them were having asthma attacks. It surely felt like it. But there was no way either of them were going to allow themselves to stop until they found Natsu.

The first thing to hit her was the smell.

Not just of smoke, but also the fatty, acrid stench of burnt meat. Even Lucy could smell it well before she fully came upon the scene. The air was practically infused with the smell. Next came the sudden rise in temperature, like she had passed through a curtain of heat that prickled her skin and clung at her hair and clothes. The trees became black and the ground crunched beneath her feet. It was only when Lucy was standing on the edge of the epicenter of the carnage that she finally heard the crackling of burning wood and the frustrated huffing of some beast.

Except there wasn't a beast – there was only Natsu.

Through the smoke and the sparks and whatever else might have been in the air that Lucy didn't want to think about, she and Happy could see him hunched over the forest floor on his hands and knees, breathing as if he had just done an intense workout. His scarf was missing, giving Lucy a full visual of his bruised and scratched torso. His hair hung in his face, shadowing his eyes from her. It didn't seem like he had noticed them arrive. Happy tenderly laid his soft paws on Lucy's shoulder as he got very close to her ear. His entire body was shaking with fear.

"Lucy, look." His voice was barely a whisper. When she turned her head to look at him, she saw that the blue exceed was not looking at Natsu, but at the scene around them. "Look what he did."

Lucy cast her eyes to the ground. Her racing heart finally stopped.

Bodies littered the forest floor. Too many to count – probably around twenty. All of them were burned to smoldering husks, but still definitely humanoid in shape. Without hair or clothes, it was hard to distinguish individuals. But they all had one thing in common: their mouths were gaping wide open from the screams they had died with. Blood rushing through her ears and pounding in her head, Lucy thought she might faint. If not for Happy grounding her to the spot, she most likely would have. Her mind felt loosely attached to her body, like she was in a dream and couldn't wake up. Trapped in her nightmare, Lucy couldn't help the small sob that escaped her lips.

Natsu snapped his head up, baring his teeth and growling at the intruders. Standing up to his full height, Natsu stalked towards Lucy and Happy on unsteady feet. The charring from the etherious wasn't just on his hands this time. Both of his arms were encased in a black coating of ash, his elongated fingers sharpened at the tips. Black-tinged flames flickered in and out of life across his shoulders. But what scared Lucy the most were the deep, crimson colored eyes that glared at her from the face of her beloved. Her knees buckled and gave away beneath her, though she never took her eyes off of Natsu.

No, she thought. This wasn't Natsu right now. This was E.N.D.

Lucy tried to remember what Natsu had told her, that the only difference between the two of them was the kind of magic he used. How he was still there, just not himself. That was becoming harder and harder to believe as the demonic personage that she saw right now loomed over her. There was absolutely no way Natsu would ever behave like this. It just simply _wasn't possible_ for the man she knew to be capable of such monstrosity. And yet, when Lucy fearfully gazed back into his eyes, unable to look away, there was a spark of something familiar hidden away within them.

It was intelligence. E.N.D. was not a mindless animal that caused destruction out of random. He knew what he was doing, Lucy realized. He knew that he had killed, and while it was unclear if he enjoyed it or not, one thing was absolutely certain: he was more than capable of doing it again. However, the last thing Lucy had expected to see was recognition on the demon's features. He knew who she was. But, to her dismay, it didn't appear as if he cared. As E.N.D. glared down at Lucy, muscles twitching and breath huffing, her body froze up. She felt like a rabbit cowering before a wolf. He cocked his head slightly, regarding her with an air of impatience. There was no amount of words or intimacy that was going to save her this time. Natsu was already too far gone. Sneering at the girl before him, E.N.D. raised a hand, fingers curled into claws and ready to slash.

With a sudden burst of speed, Happy dashed in front of Lucy, spreading his wings and paws wide to shield her. He was unyielding, unwavering as the deadly blow came down on him – and suddenly stopped, E.N.D. retracting his claws and leering at Happy like he didn't know what to make of him. Despite his incredible show of bravery, Happy was shaking so badly, it carried into his voice when he spoke.

"I'm not gonna let you hurt Lucy, Natsu!" The exceed screamed. "You'll hate yourself for the rest of your life if you do!"

Something changed on E.N.D.'s face, a slight quirk in his lips and a small lift in one of his eyebrows. It was like Happy had said something strange. Only now was it glaringly obvious just exactly how weak the demon had become. He could barely stand, knees trembling under his weight. His skin was covered in sweat, soaking the waistline of his pants and dripping down the sides of his face. The arm with the bruised shoulder hung limply by his side. He even looked like he was in pain, favoring his right side ever so slightly. His red eyes wavered in and out of focus, like he was fighting off the urge to faint. As E.N.D. gazed down at the two of them, his lips curled down into a frown. Lucy and Happy could barely believe their ears as E.N.D. opened his mouth and spoke.

"Hate myself?" His words were perfectly coherent, though his voice seemed deeper somehow and laced with a growl. With a sneer on his lips, he continued. "Why?"

Lucy and Happy were both in too much shock to provide an answer. Neither of them had known that E.N.D. could talk – he certainly hadn't said anything three years ago – and his alarming amount of comprehension had caught them off guard. They weren't given a chance to recover.

E.N.D. groaned as a metal beam shot over Lucy's head and rammed him square in the chest. Flying backwards across the ground, he hit the forest floor hard and lay stunned on his back. Gajeel and Lily leapt in front of Lucy and Happy, neither of them hesitating to advance. The demon roared at Gajeel from his spot on the ground. The dragon slayer faltered ever so slightly before he pinned Natsu back to the ground and knocked him out with a swift, well placed punch. His body went limp on the charred earth, a small spatter of blood flying from his nose. Gajeel stood up quickly and stepped away from Natsu. His expression betrayed just how confused he was. Looking over to Lucy, Gajeel swallowed.

"We got tired of waiting for ya," he explained. "Thought that maybe you got jumped by some Manticore guys."

Lucy said nothing, her gaze stuck on Natsu's prone form. As she watched, the char on his arms flaked away to reveal red, raw skin underneath. He had destroyed his own body. But he was still breathing. Gajeel took one quick look around, taking in the carnage with one hand gripping at his short black hair.

"I'm not sure what the hell happened here, but something tells me I don't want to know," Gajeel muttered to himself.

"Seeing Natsu like this is very… troubling, to say the least. However, I must insist that we get him and Gray back to the Christina immediately," Lily suggested, remaining cool under pressure like always.

Lucy and Happy finally shook themselves from their stupor, rising and approaching Natsu's limp body. A bruise was already forming on his chest from where Gajeel had hit him. He probably had a cracked sternum, at least. But he seemed normal, for the time being. Gajeel and Lily turned to go retrieve Gray while Lucy and Happy inspected Natsu, but paused for a moment.

"By the way, I found this." Gajeel reaching into his jerkin to produce the white-scaled scarf, miraculously whole and untouched.

Lucy gratefully took it, thanking Gajeel once again. Kneeling by his side, Lucy leaned over and carefully wrapped the scarf around Natsu's neck. Seeing him with his scarf finally relieved the tension in her body, the familiar sight of her fiancé wearing it somehow confirmed that things were going to be okay. That was when Lucy spotted something that she had missed before, and it troubled her deeply. One hand reached up to his head, her delicate fingers carding through his hair. It wasn't ash, she discovered as she rubbed her fingers over his hair. Within the rose pink of Natsu's messy hair, on the left side of his head right above his ear, was a single lock of black, dark as pitch.

* * *

Everyone gaped at Lucy and Happy, their long and troubling story sinking in. After Lucy and Gajeel had returned to the airship bearing Natsu and Gray, Elfman, Alzac, and the men of Blue Pegasus helped carry them both to the same medical room that kept Juvia and Erza. As Gajeel laid Gray on a bed, Wendy rushed over to him, instructing Lucy to place Natsu on another. Lucy had hesitated, however, uncertain whether the comatose man limply draped across her back really was the Natsu they all knew and loved. After what she and Happy had seen, there was no way they weren't taking precautions.

They asked for a separate room for Natsu, on a bed with restraints.

That was when the questions started.

Lucy kept her gaze down, to her hands wringing themselves in her lap. It had become unavoidable at this point. There was no way to reasonably explain what Gajeel had seen, and why she insisted that Natsu be tied down. So, coming clean, Lucy had told them all everything, starting from the job request with the Leviathan. None of them had even known what Natsu was. Very few people were privy to that knowledge to begin with; Laxus, Gray, and Porlyusica to name most of them. Mirajane and Freed only recently – and now Elfman, Alzac, Wendy, Gajeel, and their exceeds could be added to the list. Sitting on the chair by Natsu's bed, Lucy sheepishly waited for somebody to react. One by one, their gazes switched from the woman and cat to the man lying on the bed. Lucy was glad she had waited to tell them about Natsu's condition until after Wendy had treated him. She might not have otherwise.

"Everybody always called him a monster," Alzac muttered. "But I never would have thought…"

"Please, don't think differently of him because of this." Lucy said quickly, trying to avert their thoughts. "He's still the same Natsu, and he would never intentionally hurt any of us. He's just... going through something right now. But we're going to fix it.

"Tell that to those Manticore guys." Gajeel grunted. He ignored the questioning looks his words received.

Lucy felt her anger rise. "Natsu was trying to protect Gray! You said so yourself, Natsu saved his life. He didn't have a choice!"

"Lucy, if you're so certain that he isn't going to hurt us," Wendy spoke up, her expression a mix between scared and angry. The bandage over her ear already had spots of red. "Then why is he in shackles?"

Lucy started, but frowned as she realized she didn't have a good answer for the girl. Happy sat on the bed with Natsu watching everyone's reaction anxiously. He had always feared that people would hate Natsu if they knew what he was. Looking back to his friend as the silence carried on, Happy's heart sank at the sight of Natsu in restraints. His arms were bandaged all the way up to his shoulders, an ointment to soothe his skin dampening the cloth. There wasn't much they could do about his cracked sternum. He wasn't a monster, Happy pouted. He didn't need to be caged.

"I'm not an idiot," Lucy stated sourly. "I know that this is best for him and all of us until we find out how he's feeling when he wakes up."

Wendy scowled, unsatisfied with that answer, and left the room without another word. Gajeel, Lily, and Alzac followed her shortly after that, expressions solemn.

Elfman was the only one who spoke to her. "Don't be too mad at them, Lucy. They'll come around eventually. You've just…given us a lot to think about."

Lucy smiled sadly up at the large man. "Thanks, Elfman. I hope you're right."

As he turned to exit as well, Carla approached Lucy. In her paws was the book Lucy had given her for safe keeping. The white exceed hardly said a word or looked her in the eye as Lucy retrieved the tome from her, then abruptly turned away and followed after Wendy.

Alone in the room, Lucy and Happy gazed at Natsu's sleeping face. He seemed so peaceful and normal, it was hard to believe that not twenty minutes ago, he had been a being of chaos and destruction. She sighed as she looked down at the book in her hands. How had it come to this? It hardly seemed fair that Natsu was practically reliving the worst days of his life. This damn book shouldn't even be here. However, along those same lines, neither should Natsu. Fingernails digging into the leather of the book, Lucy felt hot anger rising in her chest the same moment tears pricked her eyes. The painted words of "HOLLOW" had been scripted onto the leather so skillfully it was almost beautiful.

"Lucy?" Happy squeaked as Lucy abruptly stood.

"I'll be right back."

Happy watched her as she too, left the room. Happy turned back to Natsu, ears drooping in sorrow.

"We really need you right now, buddy." He mumbled. Natsu didn't respond.

Lucy made her way through the airship down into the hull, where the giant combusting lacrima that fueled the magic of the Christina blazed in a large iron stove. The sheer amount of magic power that sustained Christina's ability to fly also produced a large amount of heat, a simple reaction that took place just like with any transfer of energy. Lucy approached the plasma-heated stove, Zeref's book clutched in her hand. As much as she hated to admit it, Lucy was getting tired of being hot. Bad things seemed to happen whenever she got hot, lately.

The one or two Blue Pegasus members that were maintaining the output of the lacrima watched her as she knelt down as close as she could get to the purple tongues of pure energy that flicked in and out of the air flow reliefs. Squinting her eyes against the bright light and gusts of heat, Lucy placed the book on the floor in front of her, the scorched back cover crackling. With a quick shove, the book slid across the floor, thumped against the furnace, and rested beside the vent. It only took a moment for the magic to catch ahold of the book and take to flames. Lucy watched as the pages puffed up and the leather cover cracked apart, blackness spreading over the book and blending into the ink. A sense of relief washed over Lucy – one less thing to worry about.

Huffing a sigh, Lucy stood straight and exited the boiler room. The cooler air of the hallway just outside was refreshing, and she took a deep breath of it. There was one more thing she wanted to do before she went back to Natsu's room.

It was dark in Juvia, Erza, and Gray's room. When Lucy cracked the door open, the only source of light was a single lacrima shining dimly in one corner of the ceiling. Erza was stabilized, her breathing steady but still raspy. She seemed to be resting peacefully, one hand in a splint and her scarlet and silver hair tied off to the side. Lucy smiled sadly at the sight of her friend, but when she looked to bed next to hers where Gray should have been, she was surprised to see that the bed was empty. Stepping into the room, Lucy switched her gaze to the last bed, where Juvia laid motionless, a thin sheen of sweat on her brow. Gray lay against his elbow next to her, one had carding through her blue hair with a solemn expression on his face.

Lucy smiled as she approached. Gray looked up when she spoke quietly.

"You know, there once was a day where _she_ would have woken up from a coma and crawled into bed with _you_."

Gray shook his head with a smile. "Don't remind me. Thank goodness she's chilled out since then."

Lucy pulled up a chair. "How are you feeling?"

Gray huffed a sigh through his nose. "Like shit, but it's better than being dead, I guess. The cut was clean, so it was easy for Wendy to heal. Somehow, I didn't bleed to death. I heard I have Natsu to thank for that."

Lucy nodded, her theories about what had happened with Natsu confirmed. It was good to hear that Natsu had risked his life and humanity for a friend instead of just being reckless. For a while, the two of them sat in silence. Gray was staring down at Juvia, but his gaze was a hundred miles away with thoughts. Lucy was the same way, her mind occupied with questions and concerns, the main one being: what do they do now?

"He's back, isn't he?" Gray asked suddenly. "E.N.D.?"

Lucy didn't respond, but that seemed to be enough of an answer for Gray. The Ice-Make mage hummed in thought.

"I figured. As soon as my devil slayer magic came back, I just knew." His left arm flexed as he spoke. "Tell me everything."

Lucy didn't hesitate, launching into the same story she had just a few minutes ago, minus some details that Gray already knew about concerning the war three years ago. She told him about the Leviathan, and what Natsu had told her regarding the difference between him and E.N.D., she told him about the near-incident Natsu had with his etherious a couple days ago. Finally, she told him about her encounter in the woods, how weak E.N.D. had been, and how he had spoken to her so non-chalantly. Gray, however, was not as surprised by this as she had been.

"We spoke to each other, way back when," Gray explained. "Had an…almost intelligent conversation. Did I not tell you about that?"

"Did he recognize you? Know who you were?" Lucy asked quickly.

Gray half-shrugged. "Well, yeah. When he wasn't trying to kill me, Natsu was calling me by name and telling me to get out of his way. What Natsu said makes sense – it's still him in there when he's E.N.D., but he's different. It's almost like… like he doesn't know the difference between right and wrong, or he doesn't care. All he does seem to care about is if you're being a nuisance."

Lucy's eyebrows scrunched together as she processed this new information. Gray had been able to put into words what Natsu could not. There was more to it, Lucy thought. The difference between Natsu and E.N.D. wasn't simply a difference of magic – he lost his moral compass and any regard for human life. There was a name for people like that, and it left a sour taste in Lucy's mouth to have to associated it with Natsu; a psychopath… like Zeref.

"But now there's something bugging me," Gray said, capturing Lucy's attention. "I was told that all of these etherious beings have a natural instinct to destroy Zeref. But, now that he's gone… what's going to become of Natsu?"

Lucy started at that, remembering hearing something similar from Mavis. But before she could respond, the door to the room opened once more to reveal Ichiya standing in the hall. The man locked gazes with Lucy and gave a small bow.

"Beg your pardon, Miss Lucy," he said in his silky voice. "But if you wouldn't mind, there's something you really should see. You too, young Gray."

They shared one look with each other before they got up to follow him. Ichiya led the two towards the rear of the ship, where he passed through a heavy steel door. On the other side was a long narrow passage lined on both sides with barred cells. Lucy and Gray looked around in wonder. They had no idea that a place like this was on the Christina, but it's purpose was clear – they had taken someone prisoner.

"As soon as we land in Magnolia, we were going to turn him over to the magic council." Ichiya looked over his shoulder. "But I thought you might like to have a word with him, first."

Ichiya stopped in front of one cell, crossing his arms as he glared at its single occupant. Lucy and Gray peered into the cell, grimaces of disdain pulling across their faces as well. Marlow didn't look up from where he sat on the hard floor, hands bound behind his back. His halberd hung on the wall outside the cell, out of his reach. His jaw was bruised a deep purple from where Natsu and Gray had hit him.

"I have nothing to say to the man that tortured Juvia," Gray hissed. "I hope he rots in jail."

With that, Gray turned away and receded back down the hallway. Lucy and Ichiya watched him go.

"I only did that because Konza made me."

Gray froze, the other two switched their gazes back to Marlow. The mercenary still didn't look up, but continued to speak.

"She ordered me to do it, on pain of death." Marlow sighed. "You might not believe me, but I didn't enjoy it... Konza didn't use to be like that. She used to be kind."

Nobody said anything. It was difficult to muster up any sympathy for the man. He finally looked up, meeting gazes with Lucy. His eyes were sad.

"And then we found that stupid library, and everything changed." Marlow said

Lucy's breath caught in her chest.

"What are you talking about?" Gray asked before she could. "What library?"

"We heard about it through the network of dark guilds. Never thought we would actually find it." Marlow shook his head. "It was booby trapped. We only managed to get away with a few books. I had no idea who they belonged to until it was too late."

He was being vague on purpose, only giving them enough information to keep them interested, but the implications of his words were immense. A _library_? There was an entire library filled with Zeref's books out there somewhere?

"How long ago was this?" Lucy's voice was low, fearing that she already knew the answer.

Marlow quirked an eyebrow at the question. "I'd say about four months ago."

That was when the Leviathan had first appeared. It must have manifested when they opened the book. Lucy cursed under her breath.

"Why are you telling us all this?" Gray narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Marlow peered at the other man, taking in the bandage around his chest.

"She got away, didn't she?" The sneer Gray gave him was answer enough. "I thought so. Konza's always been good at that."

"Get to your point already." Gray spat.

"My point is that she's not going to just give up and go away." Marlow adjusted his jaw, wincing as it gave an audible click. "And that your friend – Natsu, was it? – is in danger."

Lucy and Gray stiffened. Ichiya was watching the scene carefully without a word. Lucy had a feeling the Manticore master wasn't talking about E.N.D. being the danger. Marlow continued.

"If you want to save him, you'll need to capture her." Marlow looked up at them with an expression that was almost pleading. "And for that, you're going to need me. I'm the only one who knows what she's planning and how to find her."

"Since you're in such a sharing mood, why don't you just tell us?" Lucy asked, not the least bit hopeful he actually would.

"I'm not an idiot. You might throw me in jail, but I know you'll be back for me the moment you realize that I'm right." Marlow leaned back. "And I'll be waiting."

"Dream on. Let's go Lucy." Gray scowled as he once again turned and walked away.

Lucy hesitated, staring at the man behind the bars more closely. She was usually pretty good at reading people, and something told her that Marlow wasn't really as cruel and mean as he tried to make himself seem. That wasn't enough to quell the small bit of hatred she harbored for the man, and so she too turned and left with Ichiya following. As they all left the holding area, Marlow's deep voice carried down the hall after them, his words sending a chill down Lucy's spine.

"You can't save him."

* * *

A/N: At last! Sorry about last week, I picked up extra shifts at work without realizing how much time it was going to use up. But here we are! I hope what I'm trying to get across makes sense - if not, please let me know and I'll try to clear things up.

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed! Remember, if we reach 100 reviews, I'll do another double chapter! I really appreciate feedback, as long as its professional and helpful.

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	12. Method To The Madness

Porlyusica had a field day with the Fairy Tail mages.

When they arrived in Magnolia, Laxus, Freed, Mirajane, and Levy had all been waiting for them to return. Ichiya had talked with Laxus briefly over lacrima to give him a report about what had happened. To say that the master had been surprised to get a call from the Blue Pegasus members would be an understatement. He had told Ichiya to land the Christina just outside the Lavender Forest, where he would meet them and help bring them to the healer. Having delivered the Fairies to their kin, the Blue Pegasus guild departed so that they might tend to their own needs. When they had reached the tree house, Porlyusica was livid to have so many people on her doorstep, but even she knew when to suck it up and roll up her sleeves. All of the mages were wheezed and huffed, with Erza and Juvia having the worst of it as they were carried into the house by Gray and Gajeel. They had been whisked away into another part of Porlyusica's house, Wendy running along to aid the old healer. Everyone else had to wait in her living room for her to finish her administrations. Although Alzac, who had been separate from the battle, was relatively unharmed. Laxus told the sharp shooter to return home, with Lucy practically begging him not to reveal the truth about Natsu to anybody. He had frowned at Lucy.

"I don't like keeping secrets from my family, Lucy," he had said, but then he sighed. "I won't tell anybody, because I still respect you and Natsu, but also because it's not my secret to share. But please Lucy, just promise me you'll fix this as soon as you can?"

She hadn't given him an answer as he turned away and headed home to his wife and daughter. She felt a deep seated worry as she gazed down at her fiancé where she and Happy had laid him on Porlyusica's bed. Natsu hadn't awoken or stirred once the entire flight to Magnolia, which both relieved and worried Lucy. Giving his hand a squeeze, Lucy really wished he would open his eyes and smile at her.

When Porlyusica, Gajeel, Wendy, and Gray had returned, she gave the announcement that Juvia and Erza were stable, and that they would both make a full recovery in a few days. Gray had told Lucy that he was worried that Juvia might have a serious concussion. But it turned out that her Water-Body magic protected her from things like that, and that the damage had mostly been on the surface. Erza was already semi-conscious, but Porlyusica had knocked her out so her body could heal. After that, she went about doing check-ups on all the others, listening to their breathing and checking their vitals as they all took turns telling her what had happened. As the healer came to her conclusions, she nodded to herself and told them all not to worry. She knew exactly what to do… but she didn't sound happy about it.

The black mist had, in fact, caused some damage to the Fairy Tail mages' respiratory systems. Luckily, it wasn't so much damage that Porlyusica didn't have a "quick fix" for all of them. She sighed and mumbled and grumped about a waste of a perfectly good plant as she gathered what she needed, then lead the group out of her tree house and around back where a large clay hut was set into the ground. It had no windows, and only a single small chimney. Porlyusica set up the tincture she had made out of a Pneumeños herb – a plant said to have uncanny healing properties – and poured it into a vaporizing lacrima. Porlyusica disappeared inside the clay hut for a little while, then came back out with a thin sheen of sweat on her brow.

"Give it a few minutes," she said as she huffed. "I mostly use this thing to dry my herbs and smoke meat, but I'm sure it'll work nicely as a sweat lodge, too."

"Is that thing sanitary?" Gajeel croaked, Levy standing next to him with her hand tangled in his.

"More than you are," Porlyusica snapped. "Now listen, you're going to have to stay in there for a while till the impurities have been purged from your bodies. It's going to be rough at the start, but trust me when I say that you'll come out feeling like you've got a new set of lungs."

There were a few grumbles from the group of mages. They were tired, and they just wanted to go home.

"Don't moan at me! You brats should be grateful I've decided to let you utilize the Pneumeños instead of keeping it to myself! Do you know how rare those things are?"

"We are grateful," Mirajane piped up, she nudged Elfman with her elbow. "We know how hard this must be for you."

"Yeah," Elfman said, following his sister's lead. He was about to say something else, but a sudden burst of coughs cut him off.

"Oh, just get in already," Porlyusica sneered. "So I don't have to listen to your pitiful brown-nosing."

One by one, they all crawled into the smoke shack-turned-sweat lodge, which seemed just barely big enough for all of them. The exceeds were going to have to sit in peoples' laps. Levy gave Gajeel a quick peck on the cheek, then parted from him to go bid her time inside Porlyusica's house. Freed and Mirajane followed her example. Lucy was the last to enter, but she paused for a second, turning to the healer. She hadn't told Porlyusica the entire truth about what happened on the mission. With all the others around, Lucy had been afraid to go into detail about what she and Happy had stumbled upon in the woods - she didn't want her friends to get an even more sour opinion towards Natsu. Now that they were alone, it seemed like a good time to divulge that information.

"Miss Porlyusica, there's something you need to know." Her voice was low and raspy, making her sound more forceful than desperate. The healer and Laxus both looked at her, neither of them liking the tone of her voice. "There's more to the story, and I'm afraid you're not going to like it."

Lucy recounted all the events from the last two days, starting with Natsu storming out of Laxus' office. She told them about what had happened to him by the lake, about what he had told her in regards to how he perceived his etherious, and finally, about the massacre in the woods. She ended her tale with Gray's added speculations toward E.N.D. and Natsu. Happy lingered by her side, piping in every now and then with little details. Laxus had the biggest reaction between him and Porlyusica. His hands gripped his hair tightly in panic, and he gritted his teeth so hard they could hear it. Porlyusica, on the other hand, only narrowed her eyes as thoughts worked on her face.

"I don't understand how Natsu's magic would have 'reset' itself, but I wouldn't place all my cards on it happening a second time." She put a hand to her chin. "But that does give me an idea. Perhaps I can use that for my remedies. However, I must tell you that if Natsu has already given in to the curse once already, it'll only be easier to do it again – and that's only if we assume that he wakes up feeling like himself. At some point, even he won't be able to tell which kind of magic he's using, and then it'll be too late."

"Dammit." Laxus growled, he crossed his arms as he sighed, working himself out of his frenzy. "I knew I should have locked him in a room when I had the chance. I take full responsibility for what happened to him and all of you. This never should have happened."

"None of us blame you, Laxus. We would have gone with or without your permission," Lucy said honestly. Laxus seemed touched by her words. Turning back to Porlyusica, Lucy tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. "Is there anything we can do?"

Porlyusica seemed to look straight through Lucy for a moment, her face softening as she sighed. "I've been working on something for him since you last came to see me. I wasn't expecting to have it ready so soon, but I will have finished it by the time you get out of the sweat lodge. It's not a permanent solution, Lucy. Only a temporary fix until we can sort out this mess. Now go on and get inside, before the others hog up all the Pneumeños."

"We'll watch over him while you heal." Laxus nodded to Lucy. "Nothing's gonna happen to him."

Lucy smiled at the Master, giving him and Porlyusica a thankful nod. They watched her as she dropped to her knees and crawled into the hut with Happy close behind. She didn't see the worried look that they shared.

Inside the sweat lodge was dark, the only source of light being the lacrima as it vaporized Porlyusica's tincture into a fine mist that quickly filled the small space with more steam than seemed possible for the amount of liquid in it. A thick, herbal smell accompanied the steam, somewhere between mint and cloves. As Lucy settled in next to Gray and Elfman with Happy in her lap, the steam filled the space from top to bottom. It was starting to heat up in the hut, prompting the men to remove their shirts and the girls to tie up their hair. Small beads of sweat and moisture formed on their skin. As Lucy took a deep breath, a tingling sprang up in her chest. At first it felt pleasant, kind of like how skin feels when it's being exfoliated. Lucy closed her eyes and deepened her breathing.

But then the tingle turned into an itch, and then escalated into a burn in a matter of seconds. Lucy choked, heavy coughs causing Happy to spring out of her lap. She felt like she wanted to throw up, but also not quite the same.

"Lucy, you okay?" Elfman patted her back. "Hang in th-"

He was interrupted as he jerked forward, his own coughs bursting from his mouth. The others joined them in their fits, choking in the air around them. Lucy started to panic, her throat constricting. She felt like she was going to drown.

"Don't fight it." Porlyusica's voice drifted to their ears from outside. "The black magic is being purged from your lungs. Let it happen, or you'll only end up hurting yourselves more."

Lucy clutched her stomach. Putting her weight forward, Lucy forced herself to take a deep breath. Huffing forcefully while tightening her chest, Lucy finally felt something hack up into her throat, something gooey but solid. Reflexively, she spit it out. In the dim light, all she could make out was that it was dark in color. A small feeling of relief followed. Through the next ten minutes, Lucy and the others purged themselves, coughing up the malicious magic that had scarred their lungs. It was a painful, scary, and obscure process. But the effects were immediate, and the herbal mist soothed the newly exposed flesh. The burning subsided, leaving behind a raw feeling in Lucy's chest and throat. Sitting back with a metallic taste in her mouth and sweat dripping down the side of her face, Lucy could already tell how much easier breathing had become.

"That was instense." Gray looked over at her, his lips stained. "Though I guess she did warn us that it was going to be rough."

Gray spit out something dark on the floor. As they all settled once more in the sweat lodge, Wendy looked over at Lucy through the steam.

"What's going to happen to Natsu?"

Lucy looked up, the question catching her off guard. Happy crawled back into her lap as she responded. "Porlyusica says she has a something to help him. It's not a cure, but it's better than nothing."

Wendy's dark eyes seemed to glow in the low light of the lacrima. "I'm not entirely sure there is a cure for something like this, Lucy. Isn't this... this demon part of who he is?"

Gray sat forward, folding his hands in front of him as he addressed Wendy, and everyone else indirectly. "If you guys want to know the truth, Lucy and I truly believed that E.N.D. was gone for good - and not just because Zeref was destroyed. Mavis gave us his book, and Lucy thought we could alter it, try to rewrite it somehow, so that Natsu's life wouldn't be tied to Zeref's... we thought we had succeeded, but at great cost."

Lucy shivered despite the heat, as the unpleasant memories were brought back by Gray's words. However, she was glad that he was there to help her explain things to the others. It would have been difficult for her to do it without getting emotional. The scar on her hip tingled slightly.

"You both told us that E.N.D.'s book had turned to ashes." Carla arched an eyebrow at them. "Was that not true?"

"No, it was," Lucy said as she and Gray shared a look. That still puzzled them, as well, that an etherious could exist without its book. "I had just barely finished writing when it burst into flames. We thought Natsu was gone..."

"I'm just thinking out loud here." Gajeel crossed his arms. "But if rewriting Salamander's book - which is essentially changing _who he is_ \- doesn't do jack, then how can you hope to help him now? After what I saw, even I'm scared of him... and you know I don't say that lightly."

"I don't know," Lucy said, sitting up straighter. "But you can bet that I'm not going to stop till I do. He's Natsu, not E.N.D. and I will always fight to protect him, because I know he will do the same for me. For any of you, for that matter."

Lucy looked up at her friends through the mist, the soreness in her chest beginning to soothe. At that moment, the lacrima used up all the tincture and turned off, leaving them all in darkness with the only light being what came in through the chimney. Their heavy breathing and the occasional cough reassured them that they were all still there.

"Lucy," Panther Lily's voice broke through the dark. "I may just be speaking for myself when I say this, but I think what unsettles us the most about this situation is not that Natsu is a demon, but that he had such asstrong relationship with Zeref – the man that almost destroyed everything we know and love."

"And if what you're saying about him is true," Carla picked up Lily's train of thought. "That E.N.D. doesn't care about who lives and dies… then who's to say he won't follow Zeref's path, and finish what he started?"

"Natsu would never do that." Happy responded quietly. "You know he wouldn't."

"That may be," Lily said. "But if he doesn't have any control over himself, then perhaps he won't really have a choice."

Lucy felt a shock of fear through her spine. Gray's words from earlier drifted through her mind, how since Zeref was gone, then all of his leftover demons didn't have a purpose. With that kind of destructive power, and in that state of mind, anybody would be capable of horrible things. As much as Lucy couldn't imagine Natsu ever becoming such a man… she couldn't deny that the danger was very real.

"We just have to have faith in Natsu." Gray spoke up. "I don't think that's asking for too much." Wendy and Gajeel were silent

Lucy turned her head slightly, even though she couldn't see anything. "Elfman? Do you have anything to say? You haven't said a word this whole time."

The Take-Over mage sighed heavily before he responded.

"With all due respect, I've known Natsu longer than anyone, except maybe Gray." The steam seemed to be thinning. "I've watched him work through life and get past every twist and turn that's been thrown at him with a smile on his face. Natsu has only ever cared about two things; protecting his friends, and living a full, happy life. He's not a demon. The very thought is ridiculous. I believe in Natsu, and what's more, I believe in his bonds with Lucy, Happy, Gray, and all of us. I always have."

Touched by his words, Lucy reached out through the mist. Laying her hand on his arm, Lucy gently squeezed it in a silent show of gratitude. Of course, Elfman hadn't seen what she and Gray had seen, but that didn't make his words any less true. The ache in Lucy's chest was completely gone, leaving behind a refreshing cool feeling. They all sat there in silence for the rest of the time in the sweat lodge. The darkness and the warmth lulled Lucy into a nap, fleeting dreams of Natsu's smile floating behind her eyes.

* * *

He saw a valley that he had never been to before - a shallow dip between two small mountains that bloomed with flowers and chimed with birds. He could hear a woman humming a slow, peaceful tune that sparked a note of familiarity somewhere in the deep recesses of his brain. He felt happy, like he didn't have a care in the world.

Natsu ran through the meadow as fast as his little legs would go, chasing after a man wrapped in a white toga. The tall man laughed, spinning around and scooping Natsu up into his large hands. Tossing him to the sky, Natsu squealed in pure glee as he raised his tiny hands above his head and kicked his feet. Grasping him under the arms as he came back down, the man hugged him to his chest. Natsu wrapped his arms around his thick neck, laughing as they both plopped softly into the grass. Looking up, Natsu beamed up at the man… the man who shared his face and eyes, who had the same wild pink hair that he did. The man who was looking back at him with love burning in his eyes.

The humming stopped for a second, and a voice called out. Both of them turned to look. On a spot not too far away, a woman sat on a blanket. She was beautiful, with flowing black hair and a round face. She waved at the two of them, smiling brightly. On the blanket next to her was a boy. But Natsu couldn't quite make out his face.

A flash, and suddenly he was surrounded by fire. Fear clutched him in an iron grip, freezing him to the spot even though the floor burned his feet. He was inside some structure, smoke filling his lungs as he cried out with tears in his eyes. There was a loud crack and the groan of wood. He looked up just as the ceiling came crashing down on him.

A sudden sharp pain in his chest jolted him, making him curl up on himself in agony. Natsu felt like his limbs were being ground down by rough stones, and his head seemed to be filled with razors. Darkness blinded him, though flashes of red seared through his eyes to the beat of his heart. He wanted to scream, but he couldn't draw the breath to do so. Every fiber of his being was alive with darts of electricity. If Natsu didn't know any better, he would have thought that he was being burned alive.

Then there was a sudden shift in the world around him, and a cooling sensation washed over his body. The pain ebbed away, leaving him weightless and numb. His mind felt loose within his skull, his limbs heavy and sluggish. When he opened his mouth the strange taste of apples and wheat clung to his tongue. After a considerable amount of effort, Natsu managed to open his eyes.

He was lying down, looking up at a wooden ceiling with a creaky bed underneath him. Natsu recognized Porlyusica's house, his eyes slowly drifting from one object to the other as he wondered what he was doing there. Judging from the light, he would have guessed that it was fairly late in the afternoon. His arms were still aching a little.

"Hey."

Natsu turned his head to see Lucy sitting next to him. She was smiling at him, her eyes excited and relieved. Happy sat on the bed next to her, equally as excited. Natsu blinked at them as he took a deep breath. Strange, he mused, that he didn't get the usual warm emotions that accompanied seeing Lucy and Happy. His body felt dumb and clumsy, not quite obeying his commands to move.

"Hey," he said back, his voice weak. "What's going on?"

Lucy sat forward, still smiling as she teased his hair. "We're at Porlyusica's. How do you feel?"

Smacking his tongue around in his mouth, Natsu tried to sit up. He only managed to lift his head up a little. "I can't… I can't move."

"Yeah," Happy cocked his head. "You're going to be weak for a couple of days. Does anything hurt?"

Natsu wanted to raise his arms, try to figure out why they were aching so much. But his body simply wouldn't listen. However, something else felt… _off_ but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. It wasn't physical.

"I feel kind of funny."

Lucy and Happy shared a look, their smiles faltering ever so slightly. "How do you mean?" Lucy asked.

Natsu shrugged, or at least he tried to. Lucy regarded him critically, examining his face for answers.

"Natsu," Lucy started. "What all do you remember?"

Natsu stared back up at the ceiling as he searched his mind, though the memories didn't come easy, like ink floating to the surface of water. He remembered going to Ruby Manticore. He remembered Gray getting hurt. But he also remembered what came after that.

"Everything," he said blandly. "I remember everything."

Lucy cocked an eyebrow, then asked in a hesitant voice "And by everything, do you mean…?"

Natsu turned his head to look at her, his eyebrows screwing together in confusion. "Yeah, I remember what E.N.D. did. What… what I did."

Lucy and Happy only stared at him. During the silence, Natsu realized what had been amiss.

"Lucy... how come I don't feel guilty?" He was empty of emotions, including fear and shock . "I killed all those people, but I don't feel bad about it. Is… there something wrong with me?"

Neither of them answered him. Porlyusica finally stepped into his vision, leaning over him and peering into his eyes like she was looking for his soul. The look on her face said that she didn't find it.

"Natsu, listen to me carefully," she started, "Do you remember Aria, from Phantom Lord?"

The man with the blindfold, who wouldn't stop crying. Natsu nodded, cocking his eyebrow at the strange question.

"I've given you a potion that acts much the same as one of his spells, though not quite as devastating," Porlyusica explained. "All the magic has been drained from your body – including the etherious. You're going to be very weak for a while, but I'm hoping that your magic will replenish itself faster than the curse does. But that also means that you're in the void between your two selves… a sort of middle ground of E.N.D. and Natsu, do you understand?"

That information should have terrified Natsu, but his emotional state remained strangely calm and unaltered.

"Okay," was all he said.

Porlyusica tilted her head at him, then turned to Lucy. "He should regain more of his personality as he gets stronger. I must say, I didn't think the change would be so drastic."

Lucy nodded as she and Happy stared at Natsu, not quite sure what to think. Lucy sat forward, her hand gripping his. Natsu gripped hers back, more out of reaction than passion.

"How are the others?" Natsu managed to croak out.

"They're fine. They all went home, except for Erza and Juvia. Porlyusica is keeping them overnight." Lucy looked down. "Natsu, they know about you. They know about you and E.N.D."

Natsu nodded his head as he considered this, wondering if he had hurt anybody. He really hoped he hadn't. That might make things awkward.

"I guess it was only a matter of time, huh?" He said. "Do they hate me?"

"No, of course not." Happy piped up. But then he considered his words. "They were a little scared, to be honest, but they'll come around."

Natsu sighed, then tried once again to sit up. This time he succeeded, and looked down at his arms. They were wrapped in a single layer of gauze, some kind of ointment dampening the bandages. He remembered the thick coating of ash that had been on his arms, how it slowly burned his skin away as he tore through his opponents. It had been painful at the time, but he had simply put it out of his mind. How troublesome.

"Can we go home?" He said the words without thinking about it. Looking up, he saw that Lucy and Happy were startled. They all looked to Porlyusica, who regarded them with a sense of annoyance.

"If you can carry yourself there on your own legs, then be my guest." The healer turned away from them. "I would have kicked you out as it is. I'm tired."

With that, Natsu swung his legs over the bed and struggled to his feet. His knees gave away only once, to which Lucy rushed to support him. But he brushed her off as soon as he was standing tall and asked her where his scarf and jacket were. Lucy frowned a little, but retrieved them from the table beside the bed. Lucy had to help him put his jacket on, seeing as he was still weak and could barely lift his arms. He swayed where he stood and his eyelids drooped, but he didn't say anything to indicate how tired he was and trudged to the door. Natsu didn't even say thank you to Porlyusica as he stepped outside.

"Keep an eye on him," Porlyusica said to Lucy and Happy. "It may not seem like it, but the weight of his actions will eventually come crashing down on him. He's going to need the both of you to get through it. This isn't permanent, I promise."

Lucy only nodded as she scooped up Happy and followed after her fiancé, mumbling a thank you and that she would keep in touch. It didn't take long to catch up with Natsu, his heavy legs only carrying him so fast. He didn't acknowledge her as she walked beside him. Lucy felt a tightness in her chest. Natsu hadn't even hugged her. Happy patted her arm empathetically, also dismayed by this cold person walking next to them.

Natsu glanced at Lucy out of the corner of his eye. A single tears glistened in the light of the setting sun, as it slid along her nose. A small stirring behind his stomach, a tiny sense of sympathy through the apathy, caused him to reach out and take her hand. She looked up at him. A ghost of a smile pulled at Natsu's lips. She smiled back at him, her golden hair shimmering in the light, her eyes cast to a deep amber glow. Normally, she would have taken his breath away. He should kiss her, he realized. That was what she wanted, and was supposed to be something he also wanted. But he didn't, and so he didn't do it. It was better that way, Natsu told himself. It would be cruel to try to fake something like that. But she seemed content with the touch, so they all stumbled home together in silence.

* * *

A/N: I'm so sorry for the later than usual update, but I do plan to pick up the pace and turn around on the dower tone soon! A lot of words in this chapter, but not a lot happens. Those are the worst. Be ready for some excitement next week! Can you believe that new chapter?!

EDIT: this chapter had been slightly rewritten

Thank you to everyone who's reviewed! I don't think it sent out the notification out for last chapter, so if you haven't read that, go ahead and give it a review, too! Remember, if we reach 100 reviews, there'll be another double chapter!

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	13. Drastic Measures

_self-harm trigger warning_

Contrary to popular belief, the concepts of "feelings" and "emotions" are not, in fact, synonymous. There exists a distinct difference between the two that most people will go their entire lives being unaware of. Though they are indeed similar, they are not the same. _Feelings_ are plays on the senses, a conscious awareness for one's surroundings and situations. They are only on the surface, quick to come and just as quick to go. Pity, irritation, and contentment – all knee-jerk reactions that hardly leave a lasting impression. Feelings are the preludes to emotions, like the smell of a meal being cooked, or like dipping your toes into a stream. Feelings do not create memories, but they can make moments. _Emotions_ , however, are the deep seated sensations that clench the heart and numb the brain, that change the color of the world. Joy, rage, sorrow and countless unnamed others within the human soul that seize a moment and don't let go. Emotions are what create and destroy.

Natsu, Lucy, and Happy quickly learned the difference between the two… the hard way.

Mostly, Natsu slept, so he didn't leave the house, which Lucy was thankful for. She didn't want their guild mates to see him like this. But when he didn't, Lucy and Happy would have thought they were living with a stranger. He didn't cook, didn't laugh, didn't leave messes, and didn't touch either of them. At some point, Natsu must have known that his cold exterior was deterring Lucy and Happy from interacting with him, so he would start faking his smiles and tell them things he thought they wanted to hear in order to get them to do what he wanted. But it usually didn't work, because one of Natsu's quirks had always been that he spoke his mind, and defined himself as a brutally honest man. Lucy sometimes got the impression that he could feel things – things like amusement and annoyance. But they were selfish feelings, only momentous happenstances he felt when something did or didn't go his way. He toyed with Lucy's and Happy's emotions, playing on their senses of sympathy and love. Whether he meant to or not was a different matter. This new, manipulative person that slept beside Lucy every night… it was almost too much to take.

He had never growled or snapped at her or Happy, nor had he said anything to make them think that he would hurt them. But Lucy and the little exceed had never felt more unsafe in their own home.

On the fourth day after they had all returned from Juniper Hills, Lucy walked into the guild on a sunny afternoon, closed the door, and then kicked it with all her might while letting out an angry scream. The immediate response was the pain in her toes. Lucy suppressed a whimper as she turned around and hobbled over to the bar, refusing to acknowledge the attention she had just warranted herself from the other guild members. They were gracious enough not to say anything. As she seated herself at the wooden countertop, the Celestial mage grabbed handfuls of her hair and sighed heavily.

"Everything alright, Lucy?"

Lucy looked up, spying Freed on the other side of the bar polishing a glass. Dropping her arms heavily on the bar, Lucy sat back.

"Not really," Lucy replied. "But thank you for asking."

Freed paused in his actions, waiting for Lucy to continue. When she didn't, he set down the glass and crossed his arms. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Lucy blinked up at the man, taken off-guard by his attentiveness. "I would hate to keep you from doing your job."

Freed seemed to consider this as he strolled up to Lucy. Procuring a fresh glass, Freed set it before Lucy and began prepping a drink.

"If I was Mirajane, you wouldn't have hesitated to open up. Am I wrong?"

"Oh, no! I didn't mean it like that! I just didn't want you to get in trouble." Lucy feared she might have seriously offended the bartender. And yet, he had a ghost of a smirk on his face.

Freed spread his hands, the bottle he was holding sloshing with amber liquid. "With who? You're the only one up here, and I was getting bored."

Lucy stared at him, not quite sure what to make of Freed's unusually relaxed attitude. Freed didn't miss a beat between speaking and mixing liquors and juices into the glass.

"Mirajane told me that being the Master's assistant means being his eyes and ears. So, by all means, I'm here to help." Setting his last bottle down, Freed garnished the glass with a cherry and slid it towards Lucy. "On the house."

The drink was excellently layered with pink, yellow, and amber liquors. When Lucy brought it to her lips, it smelled like an almond short cookie with raspberry jam. Lucy took a sip, and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet yet nutty sensation on her tongue.

"This is delicious, Freed." Lucy looked up at him, who had been carefully watching her reaction. "What is this?"

"It's a drink I've created myself." He began putting bottles away. "Haven't come up with a name for it yet. I'm glad you like it."

Lucy stirred her drink, mixing the layers together. Freed was silent as he waited for Lucy to speak. "It's Natsu. He's been driving me a little nuts lately."

Freed looked over his shoulder. "Has he not gotten any better?" Lucy figured Laxus would have told Freed about Natsu's current situation after she had come to report. She didn't mind, it saved a lot of explaining that she would rather not do in a crowded hall.

"He's getting stronger everyday," Lucy continued. "But he's still not _himself_. If he's healthy enough to get up and go for runs in the morning, shouldn't his personality be coming back, too?"

"It's possible there might be a delay in his psychological recovery," Freed suggested. "We've never dealt with this before. What has he done?"

Lucy groaned as she clutched her drink. "Nothing, really. He's been sleeping a lot, and hardly eats anything. The first couple days were fine, with Happy and me there to help him with everything. But yesterday, he was awake for most of the day."

"Isn't that good?"

"Yeah, but he treated me and Happy like servants." Lucy bowed her head, saddened by the memory. "Like we were just tools. And then this morning, he was standing at the end of the bed just… watching me sleep. Nearly scared me to death. I almost summoned Taurus before I realized it was him."

"That… is quite strange." Freed leaned against the liquor shelves. "Did he say anything?"

"Only that I was tossing a lot last night and he couldn't sleep because of it," Lucy huffed. "I tried to apologize, but he just walked away."

Freed nodded as he rolled his eyes. "I know what it's like to live with difficult people, so you have my sympathies."

Lucy cocked an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What's Laxus like to live with?"

Freed started at that, his eyes going wide and a deep blush blooming on his cheeks.

"Laxus? No, no I was talking about Evergreen!" Freed turned away from Lucy, hoping to hide his red face. "The day she and Elfman finally got their own place was the happiest day of my life!"

Lucy chuckled, remembering the days when all the girls still stayed at Fairy Hills. Now, most of them were moved out, and some of the younger girl members had made it their new home. Erza still lived there, but only because there wasn't a single house in all of Fiore big enough for her to put all of her stuff in.

"Try to take heart, Lucy." Freed said as he picked up the glass he had been polishing. "I don't think Natsu knows what he's doing. It would be unfair to hold it against him."

"You're probably right. I know it's only been a few days," Lucy hummed. "But I'm really starting to wonder when I'm going to get _my_ Natsu back…"

Freed only nodded. Lucy sipped her drink in silence, the alcohol already beginning to quell her stormy mind. Talking to Freed had also seemed to help her calm down. He was no Mirajane, but his cool attitude certainly helped. The drink he had made her was almost gone.

"Lucy?"

Spinning around on her bar stool, Lucy came face to face with Levy. The Sold-Script mage looked worried, almost frightened, sparking worry in Lucy's chest.

"Hey Levy," Lucy smiled. "You okay?"

Levy chewed her lip. "It is true? About Natsu?"

Right then, one of Lucy's suspicions was confirmed. Gajeel wasn't like Alzac – he would have told her about Natsu, maybe in order to protect her. Lucy stood from her stool and approached Levy, looking around the guild for the Iron Dragon Slayer, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Uh… what do you know?" Lucy asked, keeping her voice low.

Levy seemed calm, although her wide eyes portrayed her shock. "Gajeel told me what happened. And what you said. Lucy, is it true?"

Lucy sighed. In truth, she was afraid that she and Natsu had already lost Wendy's and Gajeel's friendship. After the way they had acted, it hardly left any reason to question whether they would ever speak to them again. Lucy had really been hoping that Levy wouldn't be the same. But Lucy couldn't lie to her, no matter how dismaying the truth was.

"Yes." Lucy cast her eyes to the floor. "It's all true."

Levy charged at Lucy, catching her off-guard. The air whooshed out of Lucy's lungs as Levy's small but strong arms wrapped around her and squeezed.

"I was so worried!" Levy's hushed voice whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry I didn't check up on you sooner."

"Natsu would never hurt me, I promise," Lucy comforted the other woman, though she wasn't crying - Levy was just hugging her, holding her like she was afraid to let go. But Levy shook her head at Lucy's words.

"No, I know that." Levy's earrings clinked against Lucy's as she tilted her head into Lucy's hair. "I just feel terrible that you and Natsu have been dealing with this on your own!"

"We're not completely on our own." Lucy smirked. "We have Happy."

Levy was not amused, giving Lucy a stern look as she pulled back. "Listen to me, Lucy. Gajeel might be a big scaredy cat, but I'm not. If you and Natsu ever need help with trying to find a way to fix this, then I'm your girl."

Lucy gaped at Levy, deeply touched by her friend's words. Lucy had been so ready for screaming and yelling and tears that the kind words and support had completely taken her by surprise. Gratitude welled up in Lucy's heart, a smile pulling at her lips.

"Thank you, Levy." Lucy wiped at her eye. "It means a lot to hear you say that."

"Of course, Lu." Levy smiled back, the piercing in her eyebrow sparkling in the light. "I'd do anything for you and Natsu. For any of my friends." Levy gave a small laugh. "Especially my friends who are about to get married to each other!"

The smile fell from Lucy's face. Taking a step back from Levy, Lucy crossed her arms, frown lines creasing her brow and mouth. Her fingers began twiddling her engagement ring.

"Actually, about that…" Lucy licked her lips, hesitant to speak her mind. "I've been thinking about calling off the wedding."

" _What_?!"

Lucy and Levy looked up at the voice, to the two people that had been walking up to them. Erza and Gray stood frozen to the floor, both of their mouths hanging open in astonishment. Erza had been the one that shrieked, and seemed like she was about to collapse from shock. Gray narrowed his eyes at Lucy, trying to figure out if she was joking or not. Lucy turned to them, wondering how she had missed seeing them come in.

"I only said that I was thinking about it," she clarified. "And it's not like we would be breaking up. I just don't think it's a good idea to have one any time soon. We'll just… have to wait till this whole thing blows over. And then we'll… we'll talk about getting married then."

Nobody said anything for a while as they absorbed Lucy's words. The silence stretched on a touch too long, and Lucy was beginning to think she had broken her friends.

"Those are dangerous thoughts, Lucy…" Gray was the first one to speak. "Most couples I know that said they were just taking a break usually never got back together. I mean, just look at Lyon and Meldy…"

"If you haven't noticed, Natsu and I aren't like most couples." Lucy bit. "I'm not so shallow that I would do something like that to him. It's just starting hurt to think about that day looming on the horizon, and not be sure whether it'll actually happen!"

Erza was the one to step up to Lucy, putting a hand on her shoulder and gazing deep into Lucy's eyes. The Requip mage still had a bruise on her cheek and a bandage wrapped around her neck. She and Juvia had also had to purge themselves of the curse, though they had done it the much harder way, without the Pneumeños plant. But, with all of these things considered, Erza was looking pretty good.

"As your friend, I think you should do what you think is best." Erza spoke slowly and steadily. "But, as Natsu's friend, I think you should really reconsider. You are what he treasures most in this world. If he ever got the idea that he was starting to lose you, I don't think he could survive."

"I agree with Erza," Levy said. "At the very least, see how Natsu feels about this."

Lucy frowned, but she knew that Erza had a point. With a simple nod, Lucy promised that she would definitely think about it some more. Nobody was satisfied with that answer, but at the moment, that was all she could do.

"This is just great," Gray grumbled as he scratched at his beard. "Natsu finally asks me to be his best man, and now he might not even get married."

Lucy was about to apologize, until Gray suddenly stiffened. Grunting, Gray's left hand reached up to grab his right wrist. He was shaking, as if fighting against some other force that nobody could see. The muscles of his left arm twitched beneath his skin, his fingers spasming. They all watched as the tattoo of the devil slayer formed on Gray's arm, blazoning itself across his skin like how embers would consume a leaf. Gray huffed, just as surprised as everyone else by the sudden appearance of the mark.

"That's the second time it's done that." Gray looked up at Lucy. "I don't know what's going on, but I think you need to check on Natsu. Right now."

Lucy's eyebrows scrunched together, but she gave him a curt nod and spun on her heels. As they watched her leave, Erza turned to Gray, one eyebrow cocked in confusion. Gray could do nothing but shake his head at her, also not quite sure what to make of his father's magic suddenly forcing itself to awaken once more. The door to the guild slammed shut, the heavy _clang_ ringing through the hall. Gray felt a sinking feeling in his chest, and hoped everything was alright.

* * *

When Lucy reached her house – after a mad sprint through Magnolia - she could hear Natsu and Happy screaming from outside.

Breaking into a run, Lucy rushed home, anxiety spiking through her veins. Through the wood housing, Lucy could just barely make out words. It sounded like Happy was screaming for Natsu to stop, and in turn her fiancé was shouting at the exceed to get out of his way and let him go. But his voice sounded different, hoarser and strained. Lucy held her breath as she burst through the door, an image of flame and anger bursting forth in her mind.

But what she saw was not at all what she had been expecting. There was no fire or havoc. Natsu and Happy were in the kitchen, Happy clinging to Natsu's arm like he was trying to immobilize him. Natsu's eyes were red, though not from malice or his curse. His cheeks were wet, and Lucy realized that he had been crying. In his hand he clutched a simple knife, one of the ones that belonged in the wood block on the counter not two feet away. But the serrated edge shined with a dark red. Lucy scanned both Natsu and Happy quickly, and spotted a slash across Natsu's other inner forearm, dangerously close to his wrist. Happy was desperately trying to take the knife out of Natsu's hand, positioned between the dragon slayer's arm and torso. Lucy could immediately tell what was going on, and it made her heart hitch with terror.

Before Lucy could think, she was rushing at the two. Both of them looked up at her a split second before she collided with them. The sudden look of horror on Natsu's face did not escape Lucy's attention. Jamming her elbow into Natsu's arm, Natsu grunted as he dropped the knife. Lucy quickly wrapped her arms around Natsu, trapping his bleeding arm against his torso while Happy held on to his other one. With his upper body completely immobilized, Natsu cried out and thrashed under them, but he was still too weak to shake them off.

"Let me go!" Natsu's voice cracked when he cried out. "Let me go!"

Lucy swept her foot under his ankle, making him drop to one knee. "Stop, Natsu!"

Fresh tears appeared in Natsu's eyes as his breathing quickened. "Please, Lucy. Just let me go. I can't live like this!"

His words were like an arrow to her heart. Natsu fell forward, hitting the floor hard without the use of his arms to brace himself. All three of them struggled on the wooden floor of the kitchen, Lucy and Happy clutching to Natsu with all their might. Red was starting to smear against his shirt and Lucy's thigh from the cut on his arm. Natsu stretched his arm out, reaching for the fallen knife only a couple inches out of his grasp. Happy, still wrestling with Natsu's wrist, cried out and flicked his tail. The knife skittered across the floor and hit the wall, now a safe distance away from Natsu's reach.

"No! Happy, please!" Natsu begged. His cries became more desperate, his voice rising in pitch with emotion. "Please let me go!"

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed. "Calm down!"

The man twisted and jerked his body, trying to get free as his pleas turned to sobs. He began scooching himself forward on his belly, until Lucy wrapped her legs around his and locked her ankles. Now, he was completely restrained. Natsu huffed between cries.

"I can't do it anymore, Lucy," Natsu sobbed, squeezing his eyes shut. "I can't pretend that I'm not a monster anymore."

Lucy almost couldn't think of the words to say. "You're _not_ a monster, Natsu! What the hell would make you think that?"

Natsu twisted to look at her. Lucy lost her breath, the immense sorrow and guilt she saw in Natsu's eyes completely flooring her. She had no idea Natsu was even capable of self-hatred, but now, it seemed like he was beyond that - somewhere darker and far more painful.

"I killed all those people," Natsu rasped out. Tears ran down his cheeks. "I've never taken a life before, but I killed them without even thinking about it! I'm a murderer! I don't deserve to live."

Lucy was speechless. Natsu let his head drop to the floor and bawled like a child, his whimpers and cries breaking Lucy's and Happy's hearts into a million pieces. Lucy and the exceed looked to each other, their shock mirrored on each other's faces. Neither of them had ever seen him like this.

"He… he just broke, Lucy." Happy gulped. "Everything was normal one minute, and the next thing I knew Natsu was trying to…"

Lucy looked to the man who wept in her arms. It seemed that Natsu's persona was not a gradual restoration, like Porlyusica had expected, but more like someone had flipped a switch on his emotions. The dragon slayer had essentially gone from feeling nothing at all to feeling _too_ much. All of the guilt, all the sorrow had hit Natsu like a ton of bricks. It was understandable that anybody in that state of mind would be reckless, but Lucy never would have imagined that Natsu would resort to this. Natsu sniffed, trying to take deep breaths to calm himself. Lucy loosened her grip, and Natsu didn't move. Moving her hands up and tangling her fingers into his hair, she pressed her face into his neck.

"They would have killed you, Natsu." Her voice was low, with only a hint of a tremble. "You know that, don't you?"

Natsu twisted his head away from her. "Please, Lucy. Please don't try to make this better. Don't try to justify what I did."

Lucy felt her face grow hot, her own emotions roiling. "It's the truth, Natsu. They were under some spell that wouldn't let them stop till you were dead. Sometimes… sometimes you have to do unspeakable things in order to live. I know that that's not who you really are, but you didn't have a choice."

"You saved Gray's life, too," Happy chipped in. He crawled along Natsu's arm towards his face. "Don't forget that."

Natsu shook his head, refusing to look at either of them. "I don't know who I am, anymore."

Lucy and Happy frowned, not sure what to say to that. Lucy released him out of her stranglehold, letting him sit up. Thankfully, he didn't make a move for the knife. Leaning against the cabinets, Natsu hung his head and continued to silently weep through his misery. Lucy watched him, unsure whether she should comfort him right now. She knew that when she was sad, she preferred to be left alone. But it didn't seem right to just sit there and watch him cry. Then she remembered the cut on his arm. Natsu's blood was smeared on his shirt and Lucy's leg, but when she gently grabbed Natsu's arm and inspected the wound, she was relieved to see only a little blood. Lucy sent Happy to retrieve the first aid kit while she wetted a rag in the sink and began to clean the cut.

It was a small slash, but the entrance point was deep, which explained all the blood. If Lucy had to guess, Natsu had stabbed himself with the initial intent to carve through his own flesh. If Happy hadn't yanked his hand away, he would have succeeded. Natsu would live, but actually seeing the knife wound suddenly made the situation even more real. Natsu had tried to kill himself. Happy had stopped him in time, but the very idea that Natsu had even tried made Lucy's blood run cold.

"What were you thinking, Natsu?" Lucy whispered. Happy came back with the kit. Lucy opened it and began to unroll a pack of gauze. "Didn't you know how this would have affected me and Happy if you had…?"

Natsu didn't look up at her. As she sanitized the wound and began to dress it, he took a deep breath.

"I was thinking that you and Happy would be better off without me in your lives."

Lucy froze, and she heard Happy gasp next to her. The impact of Natsu's words hung in the air like a thick fog. Natsu lifted his other hand and grabbed a fistful of his hair, clearly trying to fight off another bout of sobs. Finally, Natsu looked up at Lucy. His eyes were red and brimmed with tears. As much as his words had hurt Lucy and Happy, it was nothing compared to the kind of pain he was in right now. Natsu and Lucy stared at each other, neither of them sure what to say.

"Don't," Lucy's breath caught in her throat, making her swallow before continuing. "Don't ever say such nonsense again."

Natsu said nothing, returning his gaze to the floor. As Lucy tied off his bandage, she laid a hand over it. His words played themselves over and over in her mind, digging painful holes into her heart. Did he really hate himself that much? Was it true that he didn't think he deserved to live? What about her? Were she and Happy not good enough reasons to carry on? The more she thought about it, the harder it became to breath. As irrational as it was, Lucy began to feel angry towards Natsu – betrayed by the idea that he would do something so selfish. Lucy tried to remain calm, her hand on Natsu's arm trembling.

"Do you want to take a bath?" Lucy blurted out. "I think you should take a bath."

Natsu looked up at her through his lashes. He wasn't crying anymore, but he had run out of tears to shed and was left drained. He considered her suggestion, knowing that she wanted him to leave so that he wouldn't see her cry. Moving his arm out from underneath her hand, Natsu stood.

"Okay," was all he said when he walked out of the kitchen and to the bathroom, leaving Lucy and Happy alone. He stumbled a little as he went, bracing himself against furniture as he went. It was only until they heard the bath water running that Lucy and Happy released shuddering breaths they didn't realize they were holding. Happy spun towards Lucy and leapt into her arms. The little blue cat bawled into Lucy's chest, the idea of Natsu being gone absolutely terrifying him. Lucy cried as well, cradling Happy in her arms as she wondered what she was going to do.

* * *

Natsu had been in the bath for about thirty minutes when he heard a knock on the door. The hot water had done nothing to soothe him, but he did feel better. His bandaged arm was up out of the water, his hand fingering the lock of black hair on his head, rubbing it like he was hoping it would go away. He could tell where it was by the way his scalp tingled in the same spot, like his body knew it didn't belong. The door creaked as Lucy poked her head in. The steam in the air made her hair curl.

"Hey," she said as she entered the room. "Mind if I join you?"

Natsu blinked up at her, finding himself the smallest bit happier that she was there. "Yeah, but the water's hot. Just to warn you."

Lucy only shrugged as she undressed. Sticking her foot into the water, Lucy grimaced at the temperature. Natsu was about to say something, but Lucy proceeded to climb in, raising the water of the tub till it was almost over flowing. Tying her hair back, Lucy leaned against the opposite wall of the tub so she was facing Natsu. Their legs tangled together under the water. Natsu searched with his hand until he found Lucy's foot. Wrapping his fingers gently around her ankle, he was relieved when Lucy didn't pull away. It wasn't long before Lucy's face was wet with sweat.

"How's Happy?" Natsu asked.

"I sent him to go catch us some fish for dinner," Lucy replied. "Fishing always seems to lift his spirits."

Natsu nodded. He knew that he had upset his little friend a great deal by what he had done. It only added to the guilt that Natsu already felt.

"What about you?" Lucy interrupted his thoughts. "Are you feeling any better?"

Natsu looked up at her, trying to decide if he should tell her the truth or what she wanted to hear. But they had sworn they wouldn't keep secrets from each other, and he was going to stick to that.

"No," he finally answered, dropping his gaze back to the water. "I mean, I am feeling a little better. But… I still wanna… but I won't. I wouldn't do that to you or Happy. I was being stupid."

Natsu didn't dare look up at Lucy, afraid of what he might see.

"Well," Lucy's voice was soft. "I guess that's good to hear."

Natsu's grip around her ankle tightened. How could she be so calm? She should be screaming at him right now. He wanted her to - he fully deserved it.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy." His voice quivered. "I never meant to hurt you guys. I'm just… I don't know how I'll ever be able to make this better."

Lucy shifted, drawing herself closer to him and taking the hand that was wrapped around her ankle. Natsu finally looked up at her. Lucy was smiling at him, but she had tears in her eyes.

"You can start by kissing me."

The water sloshed as Natsu drew himself up and pulled Lucy towards him. When he kissed her, he could taste her tears and sweat. His hand came out of the water and cradled the back of her heard, dampening her hair. Natsu kissed her fiercely but gently, eyes shut as he allowed himself to give in to his grief only a little bit. It had been a strange ordeal, how one moment he had been lying on the couch resting when he suddenly felt a shift in his mind. The shift caused a painful spasm in his neck that snapped his head to the left and jerked him awake. Suddenly the crushing weight of his actions had reduced him to tears, and he had acted without thinking.

Natsu felt new tears leak out from under his eyelids as he kissed Lucy again. Or were they Lucy's tears? He didn't want to open his eyes to find out, only pull Lucy in farther so he could wrap his arms around her, careful not to get his bandaged arm wet. He held her like he was never going to let her go. Lucy's arms snaked around his back as she also embraced him in return. They leaned back so that Natsu was halfway underwater with Lucy above him. The sound of water splashing out of the tub reached their ears, but they didn't care. The back of Natsu's head submerged into the bath, but he didn't stop kissing Lucy. When she lifted her head up to gaze down at him, it had been too soon. Natsu opened his eyes and gazed back at her, trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"Let's get married," she said suddenly.

Natsu blinked up at her. "I thought we already were."

Lucy chuckled. "I mean right now."

Natsu moved to sit up, making Lucy slide off of him. Her gave her a quizzical look. "Are you saying you want to elope?"

Lucy shook her head. "Not at all. We've got everything planned, right? We have a cake, we have flowers. I have a bridesmaid; you have a best man. I have a dress; you have a suit-"

"Technically it's only half a suit."

"We could do it," Lucy breathed, her eyes shining. "We don't have to wait."

"But some of the guild members still aren't back, like Gildarts."

"I'm sure if Cana contacted him, he would get here. And we could give the others a couple days' notice." Lucy smiled at him tilting her head. "Whadda ya say?"

Natsu stared at Lucy. It was odd that Lucy would suggest something so hasty, but perhaps she was onto something. With all of the stress and turmoil that they had been through over the past several days, maybe it was a good idea to have a wedding. Just one day where they could forget about the E.N.D. situation and all of the other crap that was going on and be blissfully happy with each other. They owed it to themselves and each other. Natsu smiled at Lucy.

"Okay. Yeah, let's do it." He took her hand once again, her engagement ring sparkling. "Let's get married."

Lucy let out a laugh. Natsu laughed too, suddenly excited by the idea that he was finally going to be joined with Lucy. He leaned in and kissed her once more, this time out of joy instead of desperation. He could feel Lucy's smile under his lips, a welcome sensation to account for the drama that had taken place only half an hour ago. Natsu pulled Lucy onto his lap, pressing her flush against his body. His bandaged arm dipped into the water. Neither of them saw the little wisp of blood rise up from the gauze and dissipate into the water.

* * *

A/N: Hey! Sorry I'm a day late. This chapter was hard to write, as I'm sure you can guess why. But next chapter should be a happy one! If anybody is curious, the drink that Freed made does have a name - it's called "Sex At My Friend's House", one of the variations of sex on the beach. It's 1/3 amaretto, 1/3 chambord, and 1/3 pineapple juice. It's delicious, so please enjoy responsibly.

Not a lot of reviews in the last chapter, which is understandable. Remember, if this story reaches 100 reviews, I'll do another double chapter! Please feel free to tell me about things I might be forgetting or if something doesn't make sense.

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	14. Said and Done

They next few days turned into a blur as Natsu and Lucy rushed around to prepare everything. The morning after they had made their decision had them running to the doors of the guild just before the brink of dawn. They managed to catch Laxus before he opened the door, him and Freed almost too bleary eyed in the early morning to be surprised that Natsu and Lucy had beat them there. That tiredness quickly disappeared when they told them what they had decided. The announcement was made to all of Fairy Tail later that same day, and was met with shouts of excitement. After a crowd of their friends had rushed forward to offer them their services, they began divvying up tasks.

Jet and Warren were in charge of spreading the word. Between all of their destinations, they were to report back to the guild and give an estimation for how many of their friends from different guilds were expected to come. The answer by the end of the second day had been crystal clear – all of them.

Levy and Juvia made sure that the guild was ready for the big day. Neither Natsu or Lucy were religious in any way, so they wanted to have the ceremony within the guild hall instead of Kardia Cathedral. It only seemed fitting that the place that had been their home would also be the place where they were bonded together. The long tables were cleared out of the pit, and a large two-tiered pedestal that Laki made with her Wood-Make magic was placed in the center. All the benches that usually went with the tables were also manipulated to curve around the pedestal, and lined up with each other in two rows, leaving four aisles on all sides of the stand. Levy and her band of cleaners mopped, scrubbed, and polished the inside of that hall until it sparkled.

Mira and Lisanna, with the help of Droy, picked the flowers. All assortments of bouquets were grown in the blink of an eye with every imaginable color and shape, and hung at the aisle ends of all the benches. They hung strings of flowers from the rafters, from the windows, from the ledge over the bar, and even garlands of white and yellow flowers were strung to the sign outside. If anybody thought that they might have gone a bit overboard, they didn't say anything. By the time they were done, the guild smelled so sweet, it made the dragon slayers sneeze.

Erza was in charge of food. Juvia wanted to assist her, but nobody would let her into the kitchens. They had to utilize one of the kitchens in the restaurant district of Magnolia to complete the large order – which kept getting larger everyday they learned that more people were coming. Erza refused to tell Lucy what she was cooking, but she promised that it came highly recommended. As much as that made the bride nervous, she trusted Erza.

Wendy and Gajeel approached Lucy and Natsu on the first day. Lucy and Natsu greeted them like they would were it any other day, but the two dragon slayers seemed apprehensive of the couple. Wendy spoke first.

"I just wanted to say," the girl sighed. "That I'm sorry, Lucy. For the way I acted. I was scared, because we lost so much during the war. I didn't want to believe that Natsu," she turned to the man. "That you could somehow be anything like that. But I see you now, and I realize how ignorant that is. You're my friend, Natsu. What's more, I consider you my brother. So, I just want you to know… I'm here for you. No matter what."

Lucy beamed with pride at Wendy. She really had grown up. Natsu smiled down at his counterpart, unable to find the words to say. Wendy looked to Gajeel, raising an eyebrow expectantly with a soft elbow to the rib.

"Same goes for me, too." Gajeel smirked. "Except for all that brother crap. You and me are rivals till the bitter end."

Natsu stepped forward and hugged Wendy, the small teenager barely coming up to his chin. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He said. Wendy smiled into Natsu's chest. Looking to Gajeel, Natsu raised a hand. Gajeel took it with a nod of his head, then yelped as Natsu pulled him into the dragon slayer group hug. Wendy and Natsu laughed at the groan Gajeel gave.

"Can you guys stay like this till I find Reedus?" Lucy put a hand over her mouth. "I need a picture of this. This is too adorable."

When the three mages disentangled, Wendy asked about what they could do to help. Lucy sent the girl off to assist Erza, knowing she could use as much as she could. Gajeel was assigned as part of Gray's team. When Wendy smiled and waved at the two of them before departing, she noticed that the smiled Natsu gave her in return… didn't quite reach his eyes. Even Gajeel, as oblivious as he could be, could tell that something was a little off with him. But neither of them said anything. There was too much to do.

Gray, Elfman, and now Gajeel oversaw the nonessential, but still important details. They needed a liquor license, for instance. All of the drinks they had served up until now had never been stronger than 8% – which suddenly explained why Cana drank so much. But they were going to pull out all the stops for the wedding. While Gray went with Freed to take care of that, Elfman and Gajeel arranged a playlist of music. They would let Gajeel play the calling songs and the aisle marches as long as he swore not to sing.

The city of Magnolia could feel the excitement of their guild in the air, and it seemed to put everybody in a helpful mood. This came in handy when people from out of town started showing up. As every room of every inn was rented out, innkeepers let friends of the bride and groom stay with a discount. Some of the citizens would ferry food from Erza's kitchen to the guild hall where it was kept preserved with magic until the big day. Others stopped by to offer their assistance as well, which was gladly accepted. Suddenly, the preparations that might have taken the guild members alone all week to finish now only took a few days. Some of the wayward guild members returned, like Gildarts and Mest. It was gearing up to be a grand ceremony.

As for Natsu and Lucy, they stayed by each others' sides, only separating when Natsu had to meet with Master Bob to finish tailoring his suit. Any big decisions were brought to them, and they trusted Levy, Erza, and Gray to handle the minor details. They were busy running to and from the guild, Happy scrambling to keep up with them. When one team was short-handed, they stepped in to help. There was hardly a second for them to sit down as they ran errands and heeded every call. If their guild was willing to do so much to make their wedding day perfect, it only seemed fair that they do just as much.

Natsu maintained an upbeat and happy attitude throughout it all – and yet, people could still tell that he wasn't all there. Everybody was thinking it, but nobody said it: that he was changing his mind. It couldn't have been farther from the truth, but it was better that they thought that rather than know that Natsu had cried himself to sleep in Lucy's arms the night before.

Finally, everything was set. As the sun set on the third day, Lucy and Natsu stood alone in the guild hall. Taking in the marvel that Fairy Tail had become, Lucy squeezed Natsu's hand.

"This is really happening," She whispered. "We…we're finally going to do it."

Natsu turned to smile at his fiancé, the shadows on his face deep from the light of the dozens of small paper lanterns that the exceeds had hung from the ceiling.

"Come on," he said as he turned toward the door. "The sooner we fall asleep, the sooner we can wake up."

Lucy nodded at him with a chuckle. But when he took her hand, she resisted his pull. When Natsu looked to her, she was still taking in the room around him. This time, however, there were tears in her eyes.

"Hey," Natsu looped his arm behind her. "What's wrong?"

Lucy took a shuddering breath, wiping a tear away. "It's nothing. I just… I wish that my parents could be here. I wish they could have gotten the chance to meet you."

Natsu smiled as he pulled her against his chest. "Yeah. Me too. You think they would have like me?"

Lucy huffed a laugh at that. "My mother would have loved you. My dad would have been skeptical at first, but I know he would have come around eventually." Turning her head to look up at him, she asked. "Would Igneel have liked me?"

"I think you would have been scared of him," Natsu replied. "But then I would like to think that you two would find that you actually have a lot in common."

Lucy considered that, debating whether or not she should be insulted for being compared to a dragon. Sighing against his chest, Lucy wrapped her arms around his waist.

"At least you don't have to look in the mirror and see your mother's face." She stated. "But I suppose that's better than never knowing what she looks like… to not know who your family is."

Lucy's words sparked an image in Natsu's head. The memories that lied dormant in his heart, and the vision of the picnic in the valley surfaced in his mind. The faces of his mother and father were clear in his eyes. A strange mix of peace and longing stirred within him.

"I don't remember much about my mom and dad," Natsu spoke softly. "My real ones. But I do remember that my mother was beautiful and kind. She smelled like… like rain." It felt odd to be praising a woman he had never met. "Zeref took after her. But when I think about her, I feel happy."

Lucy looked up at him. "What about you? Who do you take after?"

Natsu gazed into Lucy's eyes, dropping his head till his lips hovered just above hers. For a little while, Natsu let the passion hang in the air. The guild was empty of all except for Laxus and Mira, who were chatting idly at the bar. Mira nudged Laxus and silently pointed at the couple, glee lighting up her face. Laxus turned and smiled softly at the sight of them. Closing the gap, Natsu kissed Lucy gently. Their lips fit so perfectly together, that it wasn't necessary to do anything more than rest their faces into each others. When Natsu drew away, the exhaustion that he had been warding off from the past few days finally settled on him. By the way Lucy's eyelids drooped, he could tell she felt the same. Natsu took her hand and led her towards the doors.

"I look like my father," Natsu said. He realized that he had never actually said that out loud before.

* * *

The day could not have been more perfect.

The gathering began at noon. People were dressed to the nines, an electric feeling permeated the air as old friends were reunited. Fairy Tail bustled even more than usual as people of note from SaberTooth, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and one or two members from other guild allies gathered together for the first time since the war. Fairy Tail played a gracious host, making sure everybody found their seats and that there was enough room for everyone. The actual ceremony wouldn't start till about mid-afternoon, but there was no way any of them were going to take the risk of being late and not getting a good seat.

Gajeel played simple stand-by tunes on his guitar, creating background noise and setting the mood. From where Levy could see by the entrance, he was quietly mouthing lyrics to himself. She, Wendy, and Juvia greeted their guests as they walked through the door.

"Good to see you're looking well, Juvia." Lyon and Chelia stepped up to them, both donning exquisite formal wear. "It's been too long."

Juvia smiled at him while Chelia and Wendy embraced. "It's good to see you too, Lyon. I'm glad you two could make it."

"Is Gray around?" Lyon looked over the crowd. "I heard we was chosen to be best man."

"He's busy helping Natsu," Juvia replied. "They, along with Lucy and her maid of honor, have been here since early this morning getting ready."

"Who is the maid of honor?" Chelia asked with a smile.

"It's supposed to be a surprise." Wendy leaned in and whispered. "But I think I have a pretty good guess."

It didn't take long for the large hall to fill with people, though there seemed to be just enough of them to leave a comfortable amount of space. The flowers kept the air fresh and the weather was just perfect enough to leave all the windows open to let a cool spring breeze drive out the warmth. Finally, at a quarter till three, they closed the doors of Fairy Tail.

Up on the stage, Gajeel finished off a riff on his steel guitar. Mostly everybody was sitting, with one or two still lingering. The curved benches within the pit were the first seats to go, and the Fairy Tail members graciously gave their guests priority over the best seats in the house. They were filled in as needed from there, with one or two specially reserved seats. After the prime spots were claimed, the rest stood up out of the pit behind the bannisters. There were no chairs, but the viewpoint was just as good. Unlike any other day where the mages would have squabbled among themselves to get a front row spot, today they all worked together, letting shorter members stand in front of taller ones. Looking out at the crowd that had gathered, Gajeel smirked. With one final strum, the time for waiting was over.

When Levy, Juvia, and Wendy had finally taken their seats within the pit, Levy looked to Gajeel and gave him a firm nod, her eyes glowing with anticipation. That anticipation was slightly disturbed by confusion as Gajeel removed the steel guitar from his lap, and reached into a different case. The instrument he pulled out could only be described as a hybrid between a harp and an acoustic guitar, with two necks and fifteen strings – six for the guitar, nine for the harp. Levy gaped at the absurd contraption, wondering just exactly where he had acquired the thing and – more importantly – just exactly how Gajeel was supposed to play that thing with only two hands.

Very well, was the answer to that.

The change in tone caused everyone to cease their talking and turn their heads toward the stage. If anybody else was as dumbfounded by the instrument as Levy, they hid it much better than she did. Fluttering notes filled the air, and Gajeel closed his eyes and let the music move him through the slow ballad. Mostly, both hands worked the guitar part, but sometimes his strumming hand would move up to pluck the strings of the harp while his other hit the strings on the neck. The resulting sound was a full, rich tune that carried throughout the entire guild. Gajeel was basically a one-man orchestra. The audience was so captivated that they almost didn't notice when the melody changed, and a man appeared at the end of the south aisle.

Laxus walked slowly, his head held high with the regality of his rank. He wore the white coat of the ten-wizard saints, inherited from Makarov… though obviously not the exact same coat. The blue and silver medallion embroidered on the back flashed as he stepped up to the top tier of the pedestal and rested his hands in front of him. He was an intimidating sight, with his hair smoothed down and his dark suit underneath making him look more professional than he had ever been. Laxus smirked down at the audience, and looked to the north aisle. The melody changed again.

From the east and west aisles came the best man and maid of honor – Gray and Erza. Wendy's small voice could barely be heard saying "I knew it." Both of them had small smiles on their faces as they walked toward each other. Gray, with his goatee trimmed and hair neatly brushed, sported a white jacket suit, with black trimmings and edgings accentuating his physique, making him look taller and skinnier. Underneath, he wore a black dress shirt with a white bowtie. He looked like a high class citizen, a real bachelor. Erza, on the other hand, wore a flowing gown shaded a light lavender. It was sleeveless, but she wore fabric cuffs around her upper arms that trailed down to her elbows in light wisps. Along the bodice of the dress and scattered on the cuffs were small crystals, almost invisible till you saw them twinkling. Layers of light silk flowed around her as she walked. Her red and silver hair was tied up into an elegant cascading braid that complimented the dress perfectly. Simple diamonds sparkled on her ears and at her throat. The two of them stepped onto the lower platform of the pedestal, nodding confidently to each other and to Laxus.

The melody changed one final time, a familiar tune that had everybody rising to their feet. From the rafters, Carla and Pantherlily flew down with their paws full of white and yellow petals. They gently released the flowers to fall upon the floor of the north and south aisles. People began twisting their heads this way and that, straining to see who would come down which aisle first. Movement from the south made everybody twist their heads.

Natsu stepped into the aisle. Eyebrows were raised and a few mouths fell open at the sight of him. Somewhere in the audience, Master Bob was congratulating himself. The suit was finely tailored with a fabric that had the slightest gloss to it. Mostly, the outfit was black. But, on further examination, there was also just the subtlest blending of dark red around the cuffs of the sleeves and pants, his lapels, and his front and back. The small hints of color defined his body in a way that no black suit could. Underneath that, he wore a crimson silk shirt. Though he wore no bowtie and left the top buttons undone, his look wasn't tarnished at all. It actually would have been more odd to see him with the accessory. He did, however, have his scarf tied around his waist under the jacket. The dragon slayer had done nothing to style his hair or anything else, and it suited him. He did, however, conceal the black hairs with a spray. Though most of the guests were reluctant to admit it, but Natsu cleaned up _good_.

Walking beside him was Happy in his human form. He had the appearance of a young boy, maybe around nine or ten, and came up to Natsu's thigh. His blue hair had been combed down, but the ears on top of his head still stuck straight up. With his little tuxedo and juvenile face, he looked absolutely adorable. In his hands he carried a folded piece of white cloth.

When Natsu and Happy reached the pedestal, Natsu stepped up to the top tier along with Laxus while Happy stayed on the lower one with Gray and Erza. But before he did so, he turned to Gray and smiled, offering his hand. Gray beamed back at him, grabbing Natsu's arm and pulling him in for a quick hug. A few 'awww's popped up from the audience. Standing beside Laxus, the two dragon slayers shared a nod. Gajeel's music suddenly slowed to a more elegant and graceful pace. Natsu, and everyone else it seemed, took a deep breath.

When Lucy came around the corner and stood at the end of the north aisle, time stood still for Natsu. Gray whispered in his ear, reminding him to breathe.

Everything about Lucy and her presence as she began her slow march down the aisle was just…captivating. Erza's dress must have been fashioned after Lucy's, for they were similar in cut and style – but Lucy's gown was longer, lighter, and more extravagant. The cuffs that functioned as sleeves hung past her wrists, and the crystals that studded her were more numerous and varied in size. Every move she made shimmered and flowed like a cloud, as if the stars themselves had descended from the sky to grace her with their beauty. Like Natsu's suit, Lucy's dress had shy blends of pale blue accenting all the right places. Her golden hair was rolled into a neat bun on the back of her head, a small veil trailing down her back from it. Her face, though, was the most beautiful of all; minimal make up, with a natural blush on her cheeks and the light of the guild turning her brown eyes a warm amber. In her hands, she held a modest bouquet of white and blue flowers. Stepping up to the pedestal, Lucy joined Natsu and Laxus on the top tier. Her dress trailed over the edge. Erza, being the dutiful maid of honor, carefully collected the folds of the dress and swept them aside.

When Lucy looked up at Natsu, and saw him staring back at her, she was delighted to see something in his features that she hadn't seen in what felt like a long time – joy. Her heart felt like it would burst.

Gajeel carried the moment on a few seconds longer with his music, rifting his way through the last few bars. With a flourish of his hand over the harp, a euphoric chorus rang through the air until it died away. Gajeel opened his eyes, and grinned at the sight before him.

The circle was complete. Time to begin.

Laxus cleared his throat. "Well, for some of us, I think this day has been a _long_ time coming." He spoke clearly and loudly so that everyone might hear. "But never seemed to come soon enough. Yet, here we are, with welcomed friends and family, to celebrate the marriage of these two souls." Laxus smiled at the bride and groom. "Natsu and Lucy, I have watched you two grow up together within the walls of this guild, and I have seen how much stronger and better you make each other. If ever there were a truer testament of love, then your story would be the winning title. After all, it's not every couple that can say that they've lived through time-travel, at least three apocalypses, and a war together."

Natsu and Lucy grinned at each other, Laxus' words sparking up memories.

"Natsu," Laxus continued. "Although you might be an annoying pain in my ass sometimes-" Natsu flinched at that "-I can't deny that you've come a long way since you came here all those years ago. Both of us have changed a lot since then – we're both men now, with responsibilities and duties to uphold. I'm… I'm glad that I'm here to see the man you've become."

Natsu and Laxus nodded at each other, and then he turned to the bride. "Now, Lucy, you didn't join us till later in your life – you didn't have a childhood here, or find yourself among these walls. But as soon as you stepped through our doors, you knew you were home. I bet you had no idea that all these crazy things were lying in store for you, but you seized each moment and made them yours. Looking at you now, I don't think you would have wanted it any other way. I'm glad that you chose Fairy Tail to be your home."

Lucy wiped a finger under her eye, smiling at Laxus. The master put a hand on both of their shoulders, and spoke lowly so that only they could hear him. "If gramps could only see you guys now."

Standing tall, Laxus puffed out his chest and said so everyone could hear, "And now, it is an honor to officiate this marriage before the witness of all who have gathered here. May we have the rings?"

Happy stepped forward, his eyes bright as he lifted the cloth in his hands up to Laxus. Taking the parcel, Laxus unfold it to reveal to golden rings, one crafted from white gold and laden with burnished gold on the edges, and the other being the opposite of that. Turning to Lucy, Laxus presented her with the rings. Handing off her bouquet to Erza, Lucy delicately took the ring of burnished gold in her fingers. She didn't seem nervous at all, and when she turned to Natsu, she gave him a confident nod as he gave her his hand to hold.

"Natsu Dragneel," she started, voice steady and clear. "With this ring, I swear to always be the home for your heart. I will keep you close to my heart, and it is there that you will forever be. No matter the consequences, I will never betray you. Instead, I will build you up to greater heights, and support you through all of your endeavors. I will be the light that you seek when all is lost in darkness." Lucy took a shuddering breath, suddenly overcome with emotions. "I will laugh with you and cry with you, till the ends of our days. And though all the powers in the world can try to make me, I promise I will never leave you. I take you as you are, Natsu, and who you will become. This I vow to you."

The ring was cool on his finger, and surprisingly heavier that it looked. Natsu twisted his hand to take Lucy's as she slid the ring onto his finger. She finally let a few tears fall from her eyes. Seeing her cry in happiness made Natsu's heart jump. He was so in love with the woman in front of him, that he didn't notice Laxus holding out her ring to him. A slight nudge from Gray, and he remembered where he was. Taking the white gold ring, Natsu turned back to Lucy.

"Lucy Heartfilia, with thi-" his voice cracked suddenly. The audience chuckled. Natsu cleared his throat with a laugh before continuing. "With this ring, I swear to always be the rock for your soul. I will make you strong, and carry you through when you aren't. I won't ever harm you, or let harm be done to you. Instead, I will protect you and fight for you till my dying breath. I will be the warmth that you seek when you feel cold and alone. I will struggle with you and triumph with you, till the ends of our days. No matter how far life may take me away from you, I promise I will always return. I will share in your dreams as my own, and strive to see them fulfilled. This I vow to you."

Lucy beamed at Natsu, her emotions getting the better of her as he slid her ring onto her finger. Natsu starred at Lucy, her beauty taking his breath way for the hundredth time. Gray, Erza, and Happy gazed up at them, their hearts full of joy at the sight of them. There was a smile on every face in the audience.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife," Laxus declared, throwing up his arms. "You may now kiss!"

Cupping his cheek, Lucy and Natsu kissed for the first time as a married pair. The uproar of cheers and applause that broke out of the audience could be heard from outside. But Natsu and Lucy were deaf to it, far away in their own world with hearts full of love. Lucy was the first to step back, but she stayed close to her husband, her best friend, and gazed into his eyes.

"We did it," she said softly. "There's no turning back now."

Natsu chuckled. "Yep. Looks like you're stuck with me."

Turning to the audience, Natsu and Lucy raised their joined hands together, presenting their rings for all to see. Gajeel, back on the steel guitar, struck up a fast paced tune that had everyone clapping along to the beat. Stepping down to the next tier of the pedestal, Lucy and Natsu joined arms with Gray and Erza. Together, they all took off down the west aisle and disappeared though a door that lead to the back of the guild, laughing as they went. As their friends and family watched them leave, Laxus spoke up once more.

"The reception will be held in the courtyard outside," he announced. "There should be plenty of food and drink for everyone. Thank you all so much for coming!"

* * *

A/N: Okay! This was so much fun to write! A few things to note: 1: If you are unfamiliar with the idea of a circle wedding, I highly suggest you look it up! It's a pretty neat concept. 2: Yes, the harp-guitar instrument is a real thing. They sound amazing. 3: So I guess Makarov is alive now, which kind of blows this story out of the water. I'm glad he's alive, but I'll make sure to classify this as an au.

Thank you so much to everybody who had reviewed and followed so far! Remember, if this story gets 100 reviews, I'll do another double chapter! Don't be afraid to give me criticism, as long as it's constructive and professional.

As always, read, reveiw, and enjoy!


	15. All Good Things

A strange mix of emotions swirled within Gray as he and Erza watched Natsu and Lucy embrace each other tightly. They laughed with each other, both relieved to be out of the spotlight as well as overjoyed that the ceremony had gone off without a hitch. Gray smiled widely, their happiness being so contagious that he couldn't contain his own glee. And yet, when he saw Natsu cradle the back of Lucy's head and hold her close to him, he also felt a strange sense of longing. He wanted that, Gray realized, what Natsu and Lucy had. It seemed so perfect, standing there now and seeing them newly married. The two were glowing, radiant with love and hope. A single tear budded in Gray's eye, and he wasn't sure if it was from joy or envy.

"Congratulations, you two." Erza never looked happier as well. "Mr. Dragneel, Mrs. Heartfilia. It feels so good to finally say that."

"It feels good to finally hear it." Lucy beamed right back. Pinching her lips together, Lucy faced Gray and Erza with tears in her eyes. "Wow… look how far we've come, you guys. Team Natsu, together forever, right?"

Gray smirked as he stepped forward and hugged Lucy with one arm. "Now and always." Gray lowered his head to smile at Lucy. "And you look beautiful, by the way."

"You both do," Natsu stated with a smile towards Erza. "Most beautiful women in the guild."

Erza huffed a laugh, but put a hand over her mouth as she tried to quell her own emotions. Natsu gently offered her his arms. Tears finally flowing over, Erza allowed herself to be comforted. Sighing, the Requip mage's gaze suddenly went far away.

"It feels like only yesterday that I was teaching you how to use grown up words, Natsu," she sniffled. "And showing you how to be a proper Fairy Tail member. And Gray, I remember how we would constantly bicker when I first came here. And Lucy," Erza stood straight, eyes full of pride as she smiled at the bride. "You've become so strong. I'm so proud of you."

Leaving Natsu, Erza threw her arms around Lucy. Both women cried on each other's shoulders, makeup running a little down their cheeks. Gray and Natsu looped their arms around each other's necks in companionship as they silently let their friends ride through their emotions. Gray's devil-slayer magic didn't react. Turning his head to look at Natsu, Gray noticed that the dragon slayer seemed older somehow – wrinkles were starting to form around his eyes and mouth, and he had an air of maturity that hadn't been there before. After all these years, it seemed that Natsu had not only grown older, but he had grown up, too. Had he done the same?

"Get in on this, you two!" Lucy and Erza laughed as they pulled the two men into their hug, completing the circle of friends. For a while, they all stood together in comfortable silence, taking in the company of each other as memories were thought back on. Gray sighed and closed his eyes, hugging Natsu and Lucy closer to him. He was glad that he had been alive to see their wedding day, to see everyone so happy. It made his heart ache to know that he would have missed it all if Natsu had been a second too late three years ago.

Erza broke the circle first. "All right. Show's not over yet. I say we all go freshen up and relax a bit before we go out there. Sound good?"

"Why wait? I say we get this party started!" Gray said, mostly because he was hungry.

"I agree with Erza." Lucy looked to Natsu. "My nerves are still kind of fried after being in front of all those people."

"My heart is still pounding." Natsu put a hand to his chest. With a smirk, he looked to Lucy. "But it's not from stage fright."

"Save the flirting for your bedroom tonight," Gray scoffed.

Erza blushed at the implication of Gray's words. "Yes, well… anyway, I worked really hard on all the food that's sitting out there, and I would hate if it was all gone because we were standing around chatting the evening away. So let's touch up our makeup and make ourselves look presentable! We've got a reception to attend!"

* * *

The applause that greeted them as they all stepped out into the court yard was thunderous. Gray and Erza quickly stepped away from the couple, letting them bask in the attention of all their guests. Natsu kissed Lucy, prompting some whistles and aww's out of the crowd. All of the tables that had been taken out of the guild hall were now lined up here, with the one designated for the wedding party and friends placed at the front of the courtyard, giving everyone a view of the newlyweds. Happy, Juvia, Gajeel, Levy, and Wendy had been waiting for them. Natsu and Lucy took the center seats. The groom made sure to pull out Lucy's chair for her before taking his own. It felt good to be sitting down.

Then the smell of the food wafted into Natsu's nose, making him snap back up to his feet to look around for the source with a watering palate. His mouth fell open when he spotted the buffet laid out for dinner.

Erza really outdid herself this time.

The banquet that was waiting for the guests was beyond extravagant. A pork roast with a honey and apple glaze, garlic bread stuffed with ribeye steak, and pasta primavera to name just a few of the select main courses that had been prepared. Accompanied with the typical trays of artisan cheese and meats as well as complimentary salads, the feast looked as fresh as the day it was cooked. No doubt that was thanks to the lacrimas that kept it preserved. The buffet table was conveniently located right next to the open bar, manned interchangeably by Freed and Mirajane. And finally, at the end of the selection sat the three layered wedding cake.

It was a beautiful masterpiece, with each layer decorated differently to pay tribute to the bride and groom. The bottom layer was Lucy's, with white frosting and silver chocolate fondant stars scattered across it. The next layer was Natsu's, and the artist had done a wonderful job making the red icing look like dragon scales. And finally, the top tier was a decorated with nothing but brown icing and a childish personage of a fish made out of buttercream. It didn't take much to figure out who that layer was for.

"You're drooling, Natsu." Lucy and Happy giggled from his side. Happy, back in his feline form, stared at the top tier of the cake hungrily.

"Well hurry up, you two!" Gajeel shouted from farther down the table. "We can't eat until you do, and I'm starving!"

Natsu didn't need any more prompting than that.

They dined until the sun sat on the horizon. During this time, Natsu and Lucy finally got to greet their guests. Some of these were friends that they hadn't seen in quite a while, such as Kagura and Milliana from Mermaid Heel and Lyon and Chelia. Even Bacchus was there, livening up the party and drinking the light away with Cana. Most of their friends were adamant about offering their congratulations to the couple, and some boasted that they had seen this day coming from a mile away. The men of Blue Pegasus were more graceful towards their hosts, giving them wishes of a long and happy life together. They didn't even swoon after Lucy, which was a huge relief to Natsu. As they swerved through the tables and spoke with each and every one of their guests, Natsu suddenly felt overcome with gratitude. Here he was, among his friends and family on what was probably the happiest day of his life… and he had almost missed it.

"You okay?"

Natsu looked to Lucy, realizing that there were tears in his eyes. "Yeah," he said with a swipe of his hand. "Yeah, I'm great."

"You never struck me as the type of guy to cry at your own wedding, Natsu."

Natsu smirked, spinning around. "Oh yeah? Because you definitely do, Sting."

The Sabertooth Master stood from his chair and stepped forward, showing his pointed teeth in a broad smile. Natsu and Sting embraced, laughing together for the first time in what seemed like ages. With a content sigh, Sting held Natsu out at arms-length by his shoulders.

"Look at you," Sting mused, turning to Rogue and Yukino. "Don't you guys think he looks older? And when did you get taller than me?"

"I am technically supposed to be older than you." Natsu smirked. "So maybe I've just caught up to that. It looks like you've gotten fat, Sting. Has being master made you lazy?"

Sting jerked. "I can still take your ass down any day!"

"We're not here to fight, Sting." Rogue grumbled, stepping up beside his companion. "You're supposed to be mature."

As much as the Twin Dragon Slayers had done their own growing over the past three years, it seemed that some things would never truly change. They both had broader faces and were no longer the slime young men they once were, but only a fool would think that they had let themselves go. Sting had cultivated a reputation for being an excellent master, one that was both caring and strict. Unlike Laxus, Sting still took on jobs and missions – but for his safety, he had to have at least three others with him. Rogue was always one of those people. The other was Yukino.

"Can't you guys just do simple hello's instead of insulting each other?" Yukino stepped up to Lucy, smiling apologetically. "Thank you so much for inviting us!"

Lucy smiled back, but the fading bruise on Yukino's cheek didn't escape her attention. Sting and Rogue also sported old injuries from when Ruby Manticore had attacked. That had been more than a week ago, and they were _still_ healing. They hadn't gotten lucky like Fairy Tail had – Sabertooth had to fight off the full force of Ruby Manticore, along with the effects of Zeref's stolen books. Knowing now what that entailed, it was no wonder they were still titled as one of the strongest guilds in Fiore.

As the night continued on, the festivities took on a mystique air in the afterglow of the sunset. Lanterns were lit to provide both light and heat in the cooling atmosphere. Freed's special drink was asked for many times by many different people, all by Lucy's recommendation. Even Bacchus and Cana, who were adverse towards the stereotypical "girly drinks" came back for seconds. The buffet table had been nearly picked clean by the time the music started up, though the cake was saved for later. Lucy excused herself from Natsu's side in order to seek out Erza. She wanted to thank her for going so above and beyond, but when she saw the maid of honor standing by the hedge that surrounded the courtyard, she hesitated. A soft smiled graced Erza's lips and she had just the slightest blush on her cheeks. The bride could just barely recognize the outline of a hooded man through the thick leaves of the hedge. Lucy turned away, deciding it would be best to let them have their time together. They only got to see each other about once a year as it was.

"You're as beautiful a bride as I imagined you would be." A silky smooth voice crept into Lucy's ear. "It's just a shame you aren't _my_ bride."

Lucy rolled her eyes as she turned with a smile towards the tall man. Loki's sunglasses were gone from his usual outfit, revealing his dark and handsome eyes.

"You must have known that it would have never worked out between us." Lucy didn't pull away as Loki retrieved her hand and lightly kissed her knuckles. "But really, I'm glad you could make an appearance.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Loki gave her a small bow. "I give you congratulations on behalf of all your spirits. We couldn't be more excited to add Natsu to the family. Where is he, by the way?"

"Trying to make sure you won't steal my _wife_ away." Lucy and Loki looked up to see Natsu approaching with two glasses of champagne in his hands. The dragon slayer grinned widely at the look on Loki's face. "I'm never going to get tired of calling you that."

Lucy and Natsu shared a laugh as they toasted each other with their champagne. Loki, maintaining his good spirits, shook his head in humor at their compatibility. Reaching one hand into his pocket, Loki turned to Natsu.

"I actually also came here on official celestial business as well," the lion spirit explained. Natsu and Lucy watched in confusion as Loki pulled a small velvet box out of his suit jacket. Turning to Natsu, Loki held out the gift.

"It's a little too late to propose to me, dude." Natsu quirked an eyebrow at the man. Loki chuckled at that.

"Natsu Dragneel, it is my honor to give to you the blessing of the spirits."

Opening the small box, Lucy and Natsu were surprised to see a beaded bracelet laying on the cushion inside. The beads were pure white and seemed fragile as glass. Upon each bead were the painted symbols of the spirits, both gold and silver class. They were all laced together with a thin gold chain. It looked delicate, and completely _not_ like something that would be considered a good gift for Natsu.

"Um, thanks." Natsu bit his lip, not wanting to be rude. "But I'm not really the jewelry wearing type. Am I supposed to give this to Lucy?"

Loki shook his head. "I really think you should reconsider. For you see, Natsu, this isn't simply a piece of jewelry. Each one of these beads has the summoning power of one of Lucy's keys. All you would have to do is simply crush one of them, and that spirit will come to your aid. It is extremely valuable, though, and are only given to the wedded partners of Celestial mages. So make sure you don't lose it."

Lucy and Natsu gaped at Loki. Not really the reaction that Loki had been expecting.

"Wait, why have I never heard of these things before?" Lucy cocked her head. "Did my father have one?"

"These bracelets are a closely guarded secret of the Celestial Spirits," Loki explained. "There used to be a problem in the past of unsavory people bonding with Celestial mages only so they could obtain one. The end result for the wizard and the spirits contracted with them was always… unfortunate. Thus, we only give them to those who prove themselves worthy." Loki dropped his eyes in thought. "I wasn't around when your mom and dad got married, Lucy, but I do believe Capricorn told me once that Jude did receive one such bracelet, and simply never used it. And then, when your mother's keys were taken or handed down to you, the beads lost their summoning power. He must not have thought that he needed our help."

Lucy and Natsu stared at the bracelet as they considered Loki's words.

"Naturally, Natsu," Loki continued. "It's imperative that you keep it's power a secret, even from your closest friends… at least, that's what I would say if we were part of any other guild. But I trust Fairy Tail, and so should you."

Natsu took the velvet box from Loki's hand, and was surprised by how heavy it was. Closing the lid over the bracelet, Natsu tucked it safely away in his suit pocket. The box thumped against his thigh like a stone, constantly reminding him it was there.

"Now that business is taken care of." Loki turned to Lucy with a small bow and an offered hand. "May I have the honor of a dance?"

Lucy smiled at her spirit, but turned to lay her hand on Natsu's chest. "You dare ask me for a dance when I haven't even had my first dance with my husband yet?" Lucy scolded lightly. "For shame."

Loki snapped back up, genuinely alarmed. "I had no idea! What on earth are you waiting for?"

As if on queue, the music suddenly grew louder and slower. Everyone looked up to see Gajeel sitting in a corner of the space that had been cleared out for a dance floor, a keyboard in front of him and his fingers delicately stroking the keys. He was wearing his famous white zoot-suit minus the fedora. Putting his mouth to the microphone floating above the keyboard, Gajeel's rough voice quickly caught everybody's attention.

"Since we can't have any cake until after the dancing, I figured we'd go ahead and kick the night off with a slow tune for the newly-weds," Gajeel easily found Lucy's white dress in the crowd. "So get over here, lovebirds!"

Their guests clapped and cheered as Natsu and Lucy smiled at each other and tangled their fingers together. Suffice to say, most of the guests from other guilds were surprised when they took to the dance floor and Natsu expertly led Lucy through a slow box step. They both looked radiant in the glow of the setting sun, gazing deeply into each other's eyes as they entered into their own world for a little while. The jewels of Lucy's dress sparkled quietly, giving her an ethereal appearance. As Gajeel gracefully lead them through their first dance, the audience silently watched. Natsu twirled Lucy, her dress rising up and flowing around her like a river.

"Don't they look cute together?"

Gray looked to Juvia, who was staring at Natsu and Lucy with a wistful look in her eyes and a small smile on her lips. Gray said nothing, but couldn't help his own smile. Juvia was just as breath-taking tonight as Lucy, in Gray's opinion. She wore a dark blue evening gown that matched her eyes. The dress had a single strap that was decorated with clusters of round silver plates. She wore her hair down but pinned back, allowing her beautiful round face to be framed by her blue curls.

"Yeah," Gray breathed without taking his eyes off of Juvia. "They sure do."

Gray and Juvia watched Natsu and Lucy dance for a little while longer. After Gray had decided that they had hogged the dancefloor long enough, he stood from his chair and buttoned his suit jacket. Turning to Juvia, Gray smiled as he held out his hand.

"We can look cute, too. Whadda ya say?"

Three years ago, Juvia would have fainted at the opportunity to dance with Gray. But today, she simply laughed and took his hand. Allowing herself to be pulled to her feet, Gray and Juvia stepped onto the dancefloor. Natsu and Lucy smiled at them, glad to be joined by their friends. With an elegant twirl, Gray and Juvia swept across the stage like mist. This seemed to open up the dancefloor for everyone else, as well. It wasn't long until Elfman and Evergreen were also swaying side to side along with Bisca and Alzac. Gray was surprised to see Lyon dancing with Kagura, the two of them making friendly conversation as they did. Laxus got flustered when both Mirajane and Freed asked to dance with him, and so the two bartenders ended up dancing with each other. Yukino found herself in a similar situation, but eventually settled with Rogue for the first dance.

"Looks like everybody's getting into it," Wendy commented with a smile. "It's nice to see everyone dancing together, isn't it Carla?"

The white exceed watched the dancing people from her spot on the table. "If you're into that sort of thing, I suppose."

From a short ways down the table, Happy was mustering up his courage. Clenching his paws into fists in determination, the only thing that kept the blue cat from asking Carla to dance was a very strong fear of rejection. Carla had rejected him for a lot of things, and he usually took it in stride, but this time… he _really_ wanted her to say yes.

"Just go over there and ask her already." Pantherlily grunted as he finished licking his plate clean. "There's a pretty good chance she'll say yes."

Confused by the implications of Lily's words, Happy quirked an eyebrow at him. "What makes you say that?"

Lily just grinned at Happy – a sly grin that said he knew something that Happy didn't. "Just do it, okay? You'll be fine."

Happy, still confused, wanted to press further - but knowing Lily like he did, that was as much detail as he was going to get. So, steeling his nerves, Happy marched down the table toward Carla. Wendy saw him coming, and clapped a hand over her mouth in glee, knowing full well what he intended to do. Just as Happy was about to say something, an idea sprung to his mind. Hopping down from the table, Happy suddenly disappeared in a poof of blue smoke.

"Carla?"

Snapping her head around, Carla was surprised to see Happy in his human form. The little boy with blue hair shyly looked up at Carla, and he was visibly shaking. Nevertheless, he put a smile on his face and graciously offered her his hand.

"May I have this dance?"

Taken aback, Carla stared at Happy in silence for a little too long, making the poor boy think he had done something wrong.

"I-It's okay if you don't want to," Happy said quickly, snatching his hand back. "I just figured I would-"

"Stop blathering, Happy." Carla cut him off as she too jumped down from the table. With another puff of pink smoke, Carla also assumed her human form. She looked as beautiful as a little girl could in her light pink gown. "I'll dance with you. The song might end soon, anyway."

That wasn't really the best answer, but Happy was delighted nonetheless. As the two quickly made their way to the bustling dance floor, Wendy thought she might die of adorableness.

"Could I have a dance as well, Wendy?"

Turning in her chair, Wendy felt her blood rush to her face to see Romeo standing before her. The young man, like Wendy, was growing to be a fine wizard. He wore a simple crimson dress vest with gray slacks and a white shirt. He was becoming a handsome young man, and he and Wendy had grown closer over the years and even gone on jobs together. And yet, Wendy felt her voice stick in her throat. Before she could recover it, however, somebody else stepped in.

"Sorry, Romeo," Chelia smiled as she stepped in front of the startled boy. "But Wendy already promised that she would dance with me!"

Wendy, surprised to find herself relieved that Chelia was there, stood from her chair and took her hand. Casting a look over her shoulder, Wendy called back.

"Sorry, Romeo!" She did feel genuinely guilty, seeing as she had made no such promise to Chelia. "We'll do the next one, okay?"

Natsu and Lucy smiled at the friends that danced around them, a strange sense of peace falling over them. The events of the last week had almost been forgotten within the cheer of the ceremony… almost. They danced out the rest of the song within each other's arms, slowly swinging from side to side with Lucy's head on Natsu's chest. As the last notes of the song finally drew to a close, Lucy lifted her head and kissed her husband.

"I don't want this night to end," She whispered. "I want to stay like this forever."

Natsu hummed as he held her a little tighter. "Me too."

After that first song, the cake was finally cut and distributed. It was extremely delicious, and most people were sad that there wasn't more of it. Dancing continued through the playlist that Elfman and Gajeel had set up, with more upbeat and fast tempo songs for all to enjoy. There were still one or two more slow songs that came up, during which Levy and Gajeel finally got to dance. She made him confess where he had gotten the harp guitar from the ceremony, and was surprised to discover that he had made it himself. They were joined on the dancefloor by repeat couples as well as Cana and Gildarts, both just tipsy enough to agree to a father-daughter dance. It pulled at Lucy's heartstrings to see them dancing, but she also couldn't deny that she was happy for Cana. Every little girl deserved at least one dance with her father.

Stars were shining brightly in the sky by the time Lucy and Natsu began saying goodbye. They wouldn't be going on their actual honeymoon just yet, but they did want to spend some time alone together. Although, they weren't fooling anybody with that explanation. Thankfully, everybody kept their lewd comments to themselves. Happy, not wanting to ruin their night, stayed to party the night away at the guild, and had already planned to spend the night with PantherLily.

The couple exited the guild under a shower of confetti, their friends lined up on both sides of them cheering. Natsu and Lucy laughed as they covered their faces and ran hand in hand through the tunnel of their friends. When they stepped out of the guild and into the night air, the sudden drop in temperature raised goosebumps on Lucy's skin. Natsu and Lucy laughed as they brushed confetti off of themselves and each other. With a content sigh, Lucy and Natsu took each others hand and headed home.

When they reached their house, they were pleasantly surprised to find the walkway was lit with small candles. Inside, more candles rested on shelves and other flat surfaces, giving the room a soft glow and deepening the shadows. More flowers were placed inside as well, giving the house a romantic and fresh atmosphere. Happy must have been responsible for this, they realized, as well as a few of their other friends. A gift.

"We really do have some spectacular friends." Lucy whispered, giving Natsu a small smile.

"You got that right."

A bottle of fine wine was waiting for them on the table in their living room. It wasn't long after that that they were both sitting on the couch with their shoes off and their feet kicked up, clinking their wine glasses together in a toast. Lucy's hair was undone, the curls from the bun cascading over her shoulder like ropes of gold. They reminisced about their younger days, though to many they were still considered young. It was the first quiet, peaceful night they had had together in a long time. As the candles melted away and the wine was drank, Lucy stared hazily at the man that she could now proudly call her husband. Exhaustion from the long day and the wine made her eyelids droop. She was speaking before she could stop herself, enticed by a lull in the conversation.

"I've been afraid to ask this entire time, but… uh…" Lucy sat up, being careful not to slosh wine onto her dress. "How's your magic?"

Natsu sighed and nodded his head, like he had been waiting for her to ask him about that. The black hair on his head were beginning to show through the pink spray they had covered it up with. Having taken off his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his red dress shirt, Natsu looked down at the bandage still wrapped around his arm. The wound was pretty much healed, but Natsu couldn't stand to look at it.

"Honestly, I can't feel the etherious anymore." Natsu saw Lucy straighten in the corner of his eyes, so he quickly continued. "But my fire doesn't feel the same. It's like… I don't know, like the very nature of my magic has changed. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, and I'm too afraid to find out."

Lucy bit her lip, thinking. "Porlyusica did say that the two were trying to merge together. Do you think…?"

Natsu sat forward, placing his wine glass on the table and turning to Lucy.

"I really don't want to think about this right now, Lucy," he said, a hint of desperation in his voice and on his face. "Can we please just enjoy our wedding night?"

Lucy jerked, scolding herself internally for even bringing it up. "Of course we can, Natsu. I'm sorry."

Lucy leaned forward and kissed Natsu in apology. But before she could pull away, Natsu's hand captured the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Lucy hummed softly into his mouth as she wrapped her arms over his shoulders. She could feel Natsu's other hand gently creep up her side, until he stopped at the hem of her dress and hooked his thumb into the breastline of the gown.

"You look so beautiful in this dress," Natsu's breathed between kisses. Lucy pulled back and smiled, giving Natsu the textbook definition of 'bedroom eyes'. He chuckled as he pulled Lucy closer, bringing his mouth to her neck "It almost seems like a crime to take it off."

* * *

Natsu snapped awake. Staring at the ceiling of their bedroom, he blinked in confusion. It was still dark outside, the dead of night interrupted by the light of a waxing moon. He was naked underneath the covers, Lucy lying next to him in a similar state of undress. By the small amount of light, Natsu could see hickey forming on her neck. Smiling softly at the sight of his sleeping wife, Natsu curled an arm under his head and sighed. Whatever had woken him up didn't seem to be of any consequence.

Or so he thought, until a shadow flashed by the window.

It was almost too fast for Natsu to see, but his senses and reflexes were better than an average man's. Mind switching into high alert, Natsu bolted upright in bed and starred out the window. For a few tense moments, nothing happened. But that wasn't enough to convince Natsu. Someone was out there. He could feel it.

"Ntsu…?" Lucy wearily lifted her head and cracked an eye open. "Wht's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Lucy." Natsu tried to sound sincere. "Just going to the bathroom. Go back to sleep."

Lucy hummed and let her head flop back to the pillow. Natsu silently crept out of bed, gathering his underwear and the nearest pair of pants – which just so happened to be his suit pants. Padding through the house on the balls of his feet, Natsu's mind raced as he headed for the front door. There was a possibility it was just their friends coming to check up on them, see if they made it home. But that didn't seem likely, given how late it was and that there was still one Ruby Manticore master on the loose, out for Natsu's blood for some unknown reason. The door creaked slightly as he opened the door and stepped out into the night. The candles that had lit up the walkway were out by now, and the moon shined from behind the house, casting Natsu into shadow and forcing him to see purely by the light of the stars. Pressing his back to the side of the house, Natsu crept toward the field that he and Lucy had sparred in, his heart racing. What would he do? He didn't want to use his magic. Maybe he could just-

Before Natsu could finish that thought, a dark silhouette of a person stepped around the corner of the house. Springing into action, Natsu leapt at the person and collided hard with them, knocking them both to the ground. The struggle on the ground didn't last long, however. Coming out on top, Natsu sat up and sneered down at the person beneath him, their face coming to view in the moonlight – but his anger was very quickly replaced with shock and horror.

Scrambling off the man, Natsu crawled backwards through the grass, his magic suddenly thundering through his body on reflex, his heart racing with adrenaline and lightning. A strange sensation of burning accompanied his magic, but Natsu was too preoccupied with the absurdity of what he was seeing to really notice.

"It… it can't be you!" Natsu's voice barely came out a whisper. "It just can't be!"

The intruder sat up and brushed off his clothes, like he hadn't just been violently assaulted. Natsu gaped at the impossible sight before him, and he wondered if maybe he was having some terrible nightmare. If he was, then he _really_ wanted to wake up. The man looked up at him with dark eyes that were similar to Natsu's own.

"It's good to see you, too, brother." Zeref said with a soft voice and a smile.

* * *

A/N: Annnnd happiness is gone. Hey, sorry for not updating last week. I finished up a licensing course and found a kitten in a storm drain - both of those have taken up quite a bit of my time. Long story short - life is full of surprises. And this chapter had to be rewritten a couple of times, but I think I finally settled for this version.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! It was so nice to get such wonderful feedback! Just a reminder that if this story gets 100 reviews, I'll do a double chapter for you guys as a treat!

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


	16. Crystal Clear

Natsu had never been afraid of the dark. He was a Fire Dragon Slayer – darkness was only something that happened when he allowed it. When he closed his eyes, when he didn't want to be seen, or when he wanted privacy. Even when he was a little boy, a fear of the dark had never been an issue. But Natsu had always been apprehensive of what unseen horrors could possibly be lurking in it. That included darkness within and without.

But his fire was gone, and the only thing that chased away the shadows was the moon hanging overhead like a spotlight. Natsu's heart thundered in his chest, but his mind was starkly blank.

"Remember to breath, Natsu." Zeref quirked an eyebrow at him.

Natsu quickly scrambled to his feet, the cool grass sticking to his elbows and palms. Too afraid to blink, Natsu stared at the man before him. He looked just as real as the day that Natsu had run into him on Tenrou Island for the first time. Back when he had no idea who he was or just how much he would change Natsu's life. Natsu licked his lips, beginning to overcome his shock.

"You're not real," Natsu mumbled. "This is a dream."

Zeref quirked his lips. "Well, you're right about one of those."

Frowning, Natsu warily looked Zeref up and down. The Black Wizard didn't move, allowing himself to be scrutinized. By the pale light of the full moon, Natsu could clearly see the image of his brother before him – if this was a dream, then Natsu had more creative ability than he thought. But something did seem off. The last time he and his brother had stood before each other - three _very_ long years ago - Zeref had projected an aura that was unmistakably evil and powerful. It's difficult to describe exactly what 'evil' feels like, but the closest Natsu could think of was how it felt when Lucy had been killed by Rogue during the grand magic games; hopelessness, betrayal, and grief. It left a clear memory with Natsu, a memory that was difficult to forget. But now… there was nothing, not even a glimmer of magic power. It was like he wasn't even there. _That's impossible_ , Natsu scowled to himself.

"It's not impossible," Zeref said suddenly, responding to the words in Natsu's head. "If it's all in your head."

A sudden breeze picked up, ruffling the grass and Natsu's hair, raising goosebumps on his skin.

"Wha… what are you-"

The wind. Natsu's eyebrows scrunched together, his confusion spiking even higher. The breeze swept across the land, setting everything in the nightscape around Natsu into motion – everything except for Zeref. His clothes didn't flutter, his hair didn't ruffle. It was like Zeref was removed from the world around him, a specter of all the things Natsu feared. Anger flared in Natsu's chest as he grew tired of all the mystery and deception. Stomping across the field, Natsu's hand shot up and grabbed a fistful of the front of Zeref's robe. The material was just as real under Natsu's finger tips as the ground beneath his feet.

"What the hell is going on here?" Natsu shouted. "If this is all in my head, then why can I touch you? You better start talking!"

Zeref simply smirked. "You may be able to touch me, dear brother. I, on the other hand…"

Zeref lifted a hand and reached for Natsu's face. Instinctively flinching back, Natsu's eyes snapped shut. A few moments passed, and nothing happened. Squinting his eyes open, Zeref's face faded back into view, his smile gentle with his hand laid on Natsu's bare chest. It took a single moment too long for Natsu to register that the tips of Zeref's fingers were sunken into his sternum. With a jolt of adrenalin, Natsu jerked back and released Zeref. He put a hand to his chest, expecting blood and pain… but all he felt was the coolness of his unmarred skin. Natsu staggered back, uncertain legs just barely keeping him up. It could have been an illusion... although Zeref didn't have that kind of magic. But he knew what he had seen, and Natsu was beginning to realize this wasn't a dream.

"I know you're confused." Zeref's voice broke through the buzz that was rising in Natsu's ears. "But I promise, there's a mostly logical explanation for all of this."

Natsu grabbed fistfuls of his hair, shaking his head. This was too much. "No... you're dead. This can't be happening."

"Natsu, listen to me." Zeref stepped up to Natsu, his voice firmer, but still gentle. He spoke quickly, trying to amend the situation before Natsu truly lost it. "When Zeref made the etherious, he had to use pieces of his own magic to stabilize the life force. That's why the etherious were supposed to die when he did. That's all I am - a shard of Zeref's magic. I've been with you all this time, Natsu. I've never manifested until now. Do you understand so far?"

Natsu stared blankly up at his brother's face. The way he spoke of himself like a different person was odd and extremely confusing. His face scrunched up into strained expressions as he struggled to make sense of Zeref's words. "So… you're not actually him?" Try as hard as he could, Natsu was slow to piece things together. "Then… what, am I going insane?"

"Perhaps," Zeref shrugged. "All I know is what you know and what Zeref knew at the time he brought you back to life. Natsu... I'll try to explain this as simply as I can, so try to bear with me. You're different from the other etherious I created. There's the obvious reasons why this is true, but the fact of the matter was that you were the only one I could create that had a _soul_. All the others were nothing more than hollow, imitations of life. It's for this reason that you were able to survive my death. It was a very slim chance that you would to begin with, but I always knew that you could. I-"

"Stop. Stop talking." Natsu held up a hand, trying to give his poor mind a chance to make sense of this madness. "Wait… so when you say you've been with me all this time, do you mean that…just now…?"

Zeref's image seemed to blush. "When you were making love to your wife?"

Natsu scowled and shook his head. "Shit."

"I was also there when you accidentally fell over the edge." Zeref quirked an eyebrow. "And I was also the one that put you back together again."

Natsu narrowed his gaze at Zeref, wondering what hell he was talking about. Then his mind flashed back to the lakeside incident, and the large crater that he had woken up in after…well, after he had exploded. How his magic had seemed to be reset. Natsu's face relaxed as it dawned on him, mouth dropping open in awe.

"You're... the thing behind the glass?"

Zeref said nothing, but did give a slight nod to Natsu's question. He looked upon Zeref's specter with a new view. This wasn't simply a piece of Zeref's magic that had decided to manifest itself all of a sudden - this was the personification of his etherious, the very essence of darkness that tainted his own soul. The fact that it took the form of Zeref was troubling. Natsu was beginning to prefer insanity as a better option.

"But I wasn't able to do it again this time, Natsu." Zeref continued. "So here I am."

"But why now?" Natsu wanted to scream, but his voice came out a whisper.

"You told Lucy your magic felt different, right?" Zeref inquired. "It feels different because your etherious is mixed with your magic. There's no barrier separating the two anymore. I'm free, so to speak. But not active. Somehow, you're still keeping me at bay. The only change I could evoke was the color of your hair."

A hand strayed up to the black patch on his scalp. As much as Natsu wanted to be surprised, he had already figured that to be the case. He placed a hand to his chest, feeling the soft thumping of his heart. But now he knew what was different about the fire burning within him, something he hadn't been able to figure out before. It was darker. Tainted, like a drop of black paint in water. Just as wild as it always was, but now with a hint of… malice? Ill-intent? Natsu wasn't sure, but it wasn't good. He lifted the hand from his chest to his face, staring at the palm of his hand like he was afraid it might combust into black flames.

"Dammit." Natsu wasn't sure if he wanted to punch something or cry.

"Things are going to be different now, Natsu." Zeref looked up to the sky. "I'm sorry to say, but it's the truth. You'll have to re-learn how to use your magic if you ever want to call yourself a wizard again."

Natsu shook his head, his anger flaring once again. "No. There's got to be a way to fix this." Rounding on Zeref once more, he got right in the dark wizards face. He was older and taller than his older brother, now. Natsu would freak out about that later. "You got me in this mess, now you're going to get me out of it. Think, Zeref! There has to be something."

For a while Zeref said nothing and simply stared at Natsu, but his gaze was far away with thought.

"I might not know," he finally said. "But maybe the real Zeref did at some point."

Natsu's eyes widened with excitement. "Okay! Is there a way to find out if he did? You like to write shit down in books, so maybe something like that?"

"It's possible," Zeref said softly. "If there was, it would be with the rest of my research, in-"

The ground suddenly erupted beneath Natsu, sending him flying through the air. He hit the ground hard, scraping his bare chest and scuffing his suit pants. Propping himself up on one elbow, Natsu shook his head, wondering what on earth had just hit him. A hissing sound filled the air, like nails on a chalkboard. Vision clearing, Natsu scrambled into a crouch. He looked up to his new foe… and up, and up, and up, his mouth dropping open.

Dirt crumbled off of the frame of the monstrous centipede as it writhed in the ground, revealing its crystal clear body that reflected the light of the moon. Its many parts clinked together as it twisted and screeched into the night. With pincers longer than Natsu's arms, the giant bug reared back and dove at the dragon slayer. Natsu just barely managed to roll away as it crashed into the earth. Springing to his feet once again, Natsu knelt and glared at the glass centipede. Assuming that creatures made of crystal clear glass didn't occur naturally, then someone must have created this thing. And there was only one person Natsu could think of that had that ability. There was no doubt about it – this was that Ruby Manticore girl's magic.

Another ear-splitting shriek erupted from the maw of the centipede, its many legs squirming. This thing was certainly animated, Natsu thought, for being a soulless hunk of glass. It was getting annoying.

"Hey ugly, keep it down, would ya?" Natsu stood, ready to take all of his pent up rage out on the monster. "My wife is trying to sleep!"

Clenching a fist, Natsu instinctively summoned his magic. But he immediately stopped when the dark red fire that sparked to life on his fist _actually burned_ him, causing him to yelp and cease the flow of magic. His fist was patched with red from the burns, something that had never happened before. But Natsu didn't have time to worry about it, snapping his head up as the centipede rose up once more and hissed at Natsu. Its many legs clicked as it finished dragging the rest of its body out of the ground, dismaying Natsu with the fact that it was a lot bigger than he thought it was. The thing was obviously not made from normal glass either, or else it would have shattered when it hit the earth. Natsu couldn't burn it, even if it was.

What… what was he going to do?

"Natsu! _Mooooooove!_ "

The familiar bay and the clang of a cowbell spurred Natsu into action, ducking to the ground just in time for Taurus to leap over him. With a mighty swing of his great axe, the bull cried out and brought the sharp edge of the blade down on the centipede's head. With a sound like screeching metal, Taurus cleaved the insect in half in a clean cut. The centipede immediately went still and silent, then burst into a shower of shards not a moment later. Natsu shielded his face as the pieces rained down on him, thumping against his head and nicking his shoulders. Breathing heavily, he dropped his arms and turned around to see Lucy leaning against the side of the house, her hair a mess and dressed in nothing but her favorite large sweater that was just barely long enough.

Lucy dropped the hand that clutched Taurus' key and stared at Natsu. The sweater slipped down her shoulder as she shook her head.

"We just can't catch a break, can we?" She huffed at him with a hint of laughter.

Natsu didn't respond. Instead he turned his gaze back to sweep over the field of ruined topsoil and glass shards. Zeref was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Lucy sat down at the table with her mug of tea, now wearing shorts underneath her sweater. Natsu looked up at his wife, also fully dressed with a t-shirt. She didn't look at him, though. Nor did she drink her tea. But she didn't seem upset – her eyes were deep in thought and she was nibbling her lip.

"Can you see him now?" She asked tentatively.

Sighing through his nose, Natsu looked around, not sure it he would be surprised or not to see Zeref standing in the kitchen somewhere. But it was just the two of them, so he shook his head. Lucy hummed and nodded. Natsu quirked an eyebrow at her as he took her hand.

"You okay?"

She looked up at him, her eyes tired but her smile genuine. "Yeah, I'm okay, I guess I'm just… surprised that I'm not surprised."

Natsu dropped his gaze, a sense of guilt falling over him. It was true that their lives had become hectic, and it was completely his fault. Sure, Natsu loved going on adventures with Lucy, but even he had to admit this was a bit much. This was the worst way to end their wedding day that Natsu could think of.

"At least we know your magic won't be too much of a problem anymore." Lucy tried to sound cheerful, but they both knew that that wasn't necessarily a good thing.

"In all the rush to get married, I had completely forgotten about Konza." Lucy admitted. "Marlow was right; she didn't just give up and go away."

"She's a Maker-Type mage," Natsu thought out loud. "She had to be nearby in order to conjure that spell so close."

"Unless she found a way to cast spells over long distances." Lucy quirked her lips. "We have no idea what the true extent of her powers are, or how many books she might have in her possession."

"Where did she even get those books, anyway?" Natsu scowled, but glad that they weren't talking about his problems for a little bit. "How many of those damn things are there?"

Lucy looked up at Natsu. That was when she realized that she had never actually told Natsu about what Marlow had said to her and Gray. Between dealing with apathetic Natsu and the wedding, she just hadn't been able to find the right time to bring it up. He had no idea that there was an entire library of Zeref's books somewhere out there. And now, with everything that had happened, it must have slipped her mind. Her forgetfulness seemed to be occurring more often.

"It's possible," Lucy said timidly, "that she got them from Zeref's library."

Natsu started at that, placing his hands flat on the table in front of him. His eyes were wide, and his lips were parted with anticipation. When he spoke, his voice was quiet.

"What did you say?"

Lucy retold him everything that Marlow had said to her and Gray from his cell aboard the Christina. Natsu listened intently, his face changing from anticipation to full on excitement, which only made Lucy become curious. When she finished her little tale, Natsu stood from his chair.

"That's it," he mumbled to himself. "That must be the research Zeref was talking about."

Natsu spun back to Lucy, his eyes wild.

"Zeref said that there might be a way to fix all this in that Library. It's not just a bunch of demons that's there, it's all his research and experiments. If we were ever going to find an solution to all this crap, then that's probably the only place where we would find it!"

Lucy stood as well, her mug of tea still left untouched. She seemed unsure.

"How do you know you can trust him?" Lucy screwed her face. "Or whatever it is that you see? How do you know this isn't some kind of trick?"

Natsu faltered a little, knowing that she had a point. But he couldn't think of any reason for this spectre to lie to him. Natsu sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, Lucy. But this is all we've got."

Natsu suddenly looked so tired to Lucy. His shoulders sagged, and there were shadows under his eyes. Lucy stepped up to her husband and wrapped her arms around him. Despite all his strength, and all the enemies he had vanquished over the years, this might just be Natsu's greatest battle. There is no greater enemy than yourself, after all. Lucy couldn't blame him for being hopeful. She felt Nastu's breath against her neck and his large hands wrap around her back.

"You're right." Lucy mumbled into his hair. "We should at least check it out. So, did Zeref tell you where the Library is?"

Natsu pulled back, a frown on his lips. "No. He was just about to tell me right before I was attacked."

"That's okay." Lucy said with a yawn. "In the morning we'll go to the guild. I know just the person who might have an idea on where to start."

* * *

"I have no idea where to even start!" Levy gaped at Lucy. "You're gonna have to give me more to go off of than that, Lucy. And shouldn't you guys be on your honeymoon?"

Natsu and Lucy had arrived at the guild the next day to see that it was still in the process of being cleaned up after the ceremony. Mirajane was sweeping flower petals off the floor while Gajeel and Elfman helped bring furniture back inside. Natsu was sitting at the bar talking to Happy, explaining everything that had happened last night. The blue exceed didn't seem pleased with what he was hearing. But he hugged Natsu's arm when he was finished talking and Natsu rubbed him fondly between the ears, which seemed like a good sign to Lucy.

"The honeymoon can wait," Lucy replied. "This is our first real lead to helping Natsu, and I want to take full advantage of it. Are you sure you can't think of anything?"

"Lucy, I can't even begin to know where to look until I have some idea of… you know, where to look!" Levy began twiddling the piercing in her eyebrow, a sign that she was embarrassed. "Sorry Lu, but even I'm not that good."

Lucy couldn't help but heave a sigh, but did admit that maybe she had put a little too much faith into her friend.

"Why are you guys still here?"

Lucy turned to see Gray walk up to her, his eyebrow perked with his question. Juvia was behind him, and it seemed she was also surprised to see Natsu and Lucy at the guild the day after their wedding. Even with all his clothes on, Lucy could still spot a small hickey on the side of Gray's neck. She and Natsu weren't to only ones to have a little fun last night, it seemed. But at least Lucy had the foresight to place all her lovemarks on Natsu's chest.

"There's been a… development." Lucy tilted her head. "Do you remember the library we heard about?"

The sudden look that came across Gray's face said he already knew where this was going. "Don't tell me…"

"We need to find it." Natsu joined the group with Happy by his side. "There may be something there that can help me."

"And how do you know that?" Gray asked. When Natsu and Lucy shared a look, he scowled and waved off the question. "Okay, fine. I'll ask later, to spare you the trouble of having to lie to me."

"We wouldn't. Not anymore." Natsu tried to relieve the annoyed look on Gray's face. "But we want to tell others as well, and it would be best to do it all at once."

Surprised by the explanation, Gray crossed his arms and settled into a comfortable stance.

"Okay…" He and Juvia looked at each other. "Well, if you want a fast but not so easy solution for your problem, we already know about two people who know where that library is. And of those two people, we know the exact location of one."

Natsu quirked an eyebrow, but Lucy blanched at the implications of Gray's words. With a sour taste in her mouth, Lucy couldn't help but chuckle ruefully as she shook her head.

"I guess he was right." She stated flatly. "We do need him."

"But something tells me he isn't going to just tell us where it is that easily," Gray countered.

"Who are you guys talking about?" Levy beat Natsu to the question. "Who is 'he'?"

Lucy looked up, her and Gray both wearing irritated faces.

"The mercenary Ruby Manticore Master." Gray practically spat the name. "The one who tortured Juvia and Erza."

Juvia's face darkened at the memory. Natsu gritted his teeth, also mired by the image of her and Erza nearly beaten to death. Gray quirked an eyebrow at Lucy.

"You know exactly what's going to happen right?" Gray spoke lowly. "We're going to demand he give us the location of the library, then one of two things could happen; at worst, he refuses to tell us unless we do something for him - probably break him out of jail - and at best, he doesn't really know the location of the library and we end up wasting our time. It's a lose-lose situation if you ask me."

Lucy hummed in thought, placing a hand under her chin. Gray was mostly right. This wasn't going to be easy. If they brought along someone like Erza or Gajeel, who had ways of getting information, then they might have a chance. But Marlow was a mercenary after all, he was most likely an expert on keeping his mouth shut.

"We have to be smart about this." Lucy murmured. "He probably won't talk to you, Gray-"

"I'm fine with that."

"-but he might talk to me. I think Marlow has a soft spot. We just have to find it."

"I'll find his soft spot for ya," Natsu growled, clenching his fists.

Lucy shook her head. "You're not going, Natsu. We need you here, looking through the library with Levy in case this does end up being a bust."

"Really? You're going to make Natsu do research on the day after his wedding?" Gray grinned. "That's cold, Lucy."

"Hey," Natsu retorted. "I'll have you know that I've gotten pretty good at doing research. But there's no way I'm going to let you do this without me."

"You and Gray both being there will only intimidate him."

"Intimidation can be a good thing," Gray chimed in.

"Not when he's safe behind bars," Lucy countered. "No, Gray and I will both go because he's familiar with us and it'll make him feel more at ease, especially since he probably already knows we're coming. But we do need to bring someone that he doesn't know, someone that he has no power over. Someone like..."

Lucy looked around. Gajeel would work, except that he would pose the same intimidation problem as before. Mirajane could get answers, but Lucy didn't want to drag more people into her problems than were necessary - although there was no doubt that she'd be glad to help. She hadn't seen Erza all morning. No, they needed someone who had been there, and knew what was going on. Someone like...

"Me."

Everyone turned to stare at Juvia, who hadn't said a word for a while. She looked sullen, like the injuries that Marlow had given her still hurt. But the Water Body mage also looked determined, a fire in her eye that said she was done licking her wounds. Gray placed a hand on Juvia's shoulder.

"Are you sure?" He spoke lowly.

"Yes," she said without hesitation. "I'm done sitting by while things happen. But I also want to help. Let me be the one to get us this crucial piece of information. I won't disappoint you."

"It's not that we don't think you can, Juvia." Lucy gave her a concerning look. "We just want to make sure your well enough to do it. Both physically and... mentally."

If Juvia was offended, she didn't show it. Her eyes cast to floor, swimming with thoughts and emotions. "It's not like I've never been tortured before... but I do have to admit that this time has stuck with me something fierce. I know I'll be okay, though, with time. And if you're there," she said as she looked to Gray. "then that'll make everything better. I know I'll be safe."

Lucy smiled, impressed by Juvia's conviction and strong will. Gray had the proudest look on his face, no doubt overjoyed by how much stronger and more independent she had become over the years.

"Well, if you're really up for it, we'd be glad to have you," Lucy said. This could work, she thought.

"Thank you. Besides," her face suddenly turned a shade darker. "There are some things that I would like to say to him, as well."

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for leaving you with such a nasty cliffhanger last week! I don't really have an excuse other than a general lack of motivation to do _anything._ I think some of you will be surprised to see that not everything is as it seems, and now the ball is rolling again!

Also, if you guys haven't noticed, all my chapter names are snippets of cliches and saying just like the title... and I'm running out. If any of you know any good ones, feel free to leave one in a review! I'll give you a shout out if I use yours.

EDIT: This chapter has been significantly rewritten, with some content added as well.

As always, read, review, and enjoy!


End file.
